Pascal Cygan claims Lokomotiv Moscow tried to honeytrap Arsenal ahead of Champions League tie

‘When we entered there were 10 Russian top models waiting for us’: Pascal Cygan claims Lokomotiv Moscow tried to honeytrap Arsenal’s stars ahead of Champions League tie

  • Arsenal and Lokomotiv Moscow met during the 2003-04 Champions League 
  • In the match in Russia, the group-stage encounter ended in a 0-0 stalemate 
  • Pascal Cygan says Lokomotiv tried a novel way of disturbing Arsenal beforehand

Former Arsenal centre back Pascal Cygan has revealed the extraordinary lengths that Lokomotiv Moscow once went to disturb them ahead of a Champions League tie.

The Gunners travelled to Russia on September 30, 2003 for a group-stage encounter.

The match ended 0-0 but it isn’t the scoreline that Cygan, who was an unused substitute, remembers.

Ex-Arsenal defender Pascal Cygan says that Lokomotiv Moscow once tried to honeytrap them

The night before the match, the 45-year-old claims that a plethora of models sent by Lokomotiv were in the Arsenal team hotel in a bid to keep them busy.

Recalling the incident, he told La Voix du Nord: ‘When we entered our hotel in Moscow there were ten Russian top models waiting for us.

‘They were seated in front of the bar.

‘We were later told that they had been there to tire us out during the night before the match.

‘We didn’t lose, and as far as I remember none of our players was stupid enough to fall into the trap.

He says it was prior to their Champions League group game in Russia on September 30, 2003

He says it was prior to their Champions League group game in Russia on September 30, 2003

‘That was just as well, given the situation at that time.

‘Stories about players’ private lives used to appear regularly in the papers.’

Despite being held for a draw, Arsenal did manage to beat Lokomotiv 2-0 in the reverse fixture as they qualified from Group B.

However, Arsenal’s European adventure was curtailed by that Wayne Bridge goal during their Champions League tie with Chelsea.

Wayne Bridge (right) ended Arsenal's participation in the Champions League that season

Wayne Bridge (right) ended Arsenal’s participation in the Champions League that season



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