In a captivating tale from the annals of football history, Arsenal once found themselves ensnared in an unexpected honeytrap plot involving ten Russian models ahead of a crucial Champions League clash. The Gunners were gearing up to face Lokomotiv Moscow during the 2003/04 group stages, a season that would later see them famously crowned as “The Invincibles.”
Aware that they faced an uphill battle against Arsene Wenger’s formidable squad, Lokomotiv Moscow devised a cunning plan to sap the Gunners’ energy. This intriguing revelation comes from former Arsenal defender Pascal Cygan, who shared the story with his local newspaper, La Voix du Nord, in 2019.
“When we entered our Moscow hotel, we were greeted by ten Russian top models who were seated at the bar,” recalled the 49-year-old, who was happily married with two young daughters at the time. “We later learned that their presence was part of an attempt to tire us out the night before the match. Thankfully, none of our players fell into the trap, and we didn’t lose that game.”
Arsenal’s resilience paid off as they secured a valuable group-stage point against Lokomotiv Moscow, with players like Martin Keown, Robert Pires, and Thierry Henry refusing to be distracted. While the reverse fixture at the Emirates saw Arsenal emerge victorious with a 2-0 win, their Champions League journey was halted in the quarter-finals that season, with Chelsea prevailing over two legs.
Arsenal performance and stats
Arsenal is currently 1st in the Champions League with 6 points.
In the last 3 games, it has won twice and lost once. In its last match, Arsenal won 1-2 against Sevilla.
It has a positive goal difference after scoring 7 goals and conceding 3.
Arsenal will play the next match in Champions League against Sevilla on Wednesday 8th of November in London. The prediction is Arsenal winning the match.
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