WATCHING this week’s Champions League semi-finals was the golden ticket for fans.
And four West Ham players appeared to agree.
GettyWest Ham players Max Kilman, Danny Ings and Aaron Cresswell were at Parc des Princes, as was back-up keeper Wes Foderingham[/caption]
AFPMartin Odegaard and Co suffered Champions League agony as Arsenal exited[/caption]
Keen-eyed viewers would 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.
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 Prem games left, West Ham are fourth bottom, albeit safe from the drop.
That’s only 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 to why they came featured dramatically in just the third minute.
West Ham legend Declan Rice – Arsenal’s record £105million signing in 2023 – headed a gaping chance high to level the tie at 1-1.
PSG stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma then produced two stunning saves.
Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi then 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.
But although it was a contrasting night for the four Hammers and the Arsenal team they were watching, both groups of players will have to get over it in time for massive Prem matches on Sunday.
West Ham visit Manchester United, while the second-placed Gunners travel to new champions Liverpool.
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