I’m an Arsenal Invincible, we were met by honeytrap Russian models to try to tire us out before Champions League clash
FORMER Arsenal defender Pascal Cygan has claimed Russian models were used as part of a honeytrap to tire out the famous Invincibles side before a Champions League clash.
Arsene Wenger‘s side went unbeaten throughout the entire 2003/04 Premier League campaign.
They also reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League before being eliminated by Chelsea.
But earlier on during their European campaign they were met with a rather unconventional pre-game tactic from Lokomotiv Moscow.
Ex-French centre-back Cygan, 50, has since recalled that in the lead-up to the game Russian models were waiting for them at a bar in a bid to act as a distraction from the match.
Speaking to La Voix du Nord in 2019, he said: “When we entered our hotel in Moscow there were 10 Russian top models waiting for us. They were seated in front of the bar.”
He then went on to add: “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 were stupid enough to fall into the trap.”
Cygan had a wife and two children back home at the time of the incident.
Arsenal ended up playing out a goalless draw in Russia, before they beat Lokomotiv 2-0 in the reverse fixture three months later.
Meet the Arsenal Wags from Strictly star to a flight attendant
Tomali Benson – partner of Bukayo Saka
Benson and Saka have kept information on their relationship largely quiet.
They do not appear on each others Instagram pages but she was seen speaking to Saka at the 2022 World Cup.
Helene Spilling – partner of Martin Odegaard
A professional dancer from Norway who rose to fame in the country’s version of Strictly Come Dancing, the pair were first spotted together at the Football Awards in March 2023.
Sophie Weber – partner of Kai Havertz
Weber works as a model and social media influencer and is the most high profile member of the group on online with almost 400,000 followers on Instagram.
They are childhood sweethearts having grown up in the same neighbourhood.
Milly White – partner of Ben White
The couple got engaged in 2022 before tying the knot officially in May last year. They have matching “I love you tattoos” on their wrists. Milly White works as a model.
Laura Trossard Hilven – partner of Leandro Trossard
The pair met in 2014 before getting married in 2019.
They have two sons together, Thiago and Amadeo.
Lauren Fryer – partner of Declan Rice
Lauren Fryer and Declan Rice have been together since 2015. She tends to keep a lower profile compared to some of Arsenal’s other Wags but is no less stunning.
She sadly deleted all pictures on her Instagram after suffering horrific abuse by vile trolls.
Georgina Ramsdale – partner of Aaron Ramsdale
Georgina Ramsdale works as a flight attendant.
The couple got married last June after the Arsenal star proposed in 2022. They originally met in 2019.
Cygan spent four season in North London, racking up 98 appearances for the club.
His only major trophy at Arsenal came in the shape of the 2003/04 Premier League title.
He then left to join Villarreal in 2006 for £2million.
He ended his career with two years at Spanish second-tier side Cartagena, retiring in 2011 after being released by the club.