WATCHING this week’s Champions League semi-finals was the golden ticket for fans.
And four West Ham players appeared to agree.
Keen-eyed viewers might have been surprised to see the quartet in the stands as Arsenal took on Paris Saint-Germain in the French capital – a day after Inter Milan completed a 7-6 aggregate triumph over Barcelona.
Managers often blame testing midweek trips to Europe for poor Premier League displays just days later.
But amid a tough domestic season for the Hammers, their players knew the pressure was off them – and all on the Gunners – who trailed 1-0 for Wednesday’s return leg.
Two of the London Stadium stars were former England men in left-back Aaron Cresswell, 35, and 32-year-old striker Danny Ings.
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They were joined by ex-Wolves centre-back Max Kilman, 27.
And third-choice stopper Wes Foderingham, 34, who has yet to play a senior game since arriving at West Ham last June, was there too.
But for most of the season, Europe has been the furthest thing from the Hammers’ minds.
Club chiefs sacked manager Julen Lopetegui in January after half a season in the lower reaches of the Prem.
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And successor Graham Potter has hardly fared better.
With three top-flight games left, West Ham are fourth bottom, albeit safe from the drop.
That’s because promoted trio Ipswich, Leicester and Southampton have long been guaranteed to go straight back down.
The Hammers’ foursome could afford to wear big grins at Parc des Princes as they saw the Gunners take the strain.
They wondered to their seats, seemingly unrecognised by those around them.
And one possible answer as to why they had made the trip across the channel loomed large in just the third minute.
West Ham legend Declan Rice was in prominent action – with Arsenal’s record £105million buy heading a gaping chance to level the tie off target.
PSG stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma soon produced two stunning saves.
But Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi fired home to put PSG 2-0 up on the night, 3-0 on aggregate.
And Bukayo Saka’s bundled reply on 76 minutes proved in vain.
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But although it was a contrasting night for the Hammers and the Arsenal team they were watching, both sets of players will have to get over their travels in time for massive Prem matches on Sunday.
West Ham visit Manchester United, while the second-placed Gunners travel to new champions Liverpool.
Arsenal ratings v PSG
ARSENAL’S Champions League dream ended in tears as they failed to revolt against Paris Saint-Germain in Paris.
The Gunners came flying out of the blocks and tested Gianluigi Donnarumma early, but it seemed it was going to be one of those nights from the get go. And so it proved.
Despite early pressure, Arsenal found themselves behind following a Fabian Ruiz volley.
Achraf Hakimi then added a brutal second mere moments after David Raya had kept Arsenal in the tie by denying Vitinha from the penalty spot.
But Bukayo Saka, who had been denied all night by old nemesis Donnarumma, finally bested the Italian in the 76th minute when he made the most of a deflected cross to round him and fire into the net.
With the deficit on the night halved, Saka then had the chance to level the score as he was found free in the middle with an open goal at his mercy.
But the winger was unable to keep the ball down once he made contact and saw his effort sail miles over the bar.
PSG then saw out the result without further worry to book their spot in the Munich final against Inter Milan.
Here’s how SunSport’s Jordan Davies rated the Gunners in Paris.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
