Arsenal drew 2-2 with Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals but some West Ham fans weren’t laughing.
West Ham fans have suffered the ignominy of being goaded by their Arsenal counterparts over the sale of Declan Rice for the last nine months.
So it was perhaps understandable that many West Ham supporters enjoyed watching German giants Bayern Munich do a job on the Gunners in their crucial home leg on Tuesday night.
Arsenal took the lead through Bukayo Saka before going 2-1 down through former Arsenal winger Serge Gnabry and boyhood Gunners fan Harry Kane.
Some West Ham fans enjoyed Bayern doing a job on Gunners
Leandro Trossard levelled things up but Arsenal now have it all to do in the second leg in Munich.
Former West Ham captain Rice did not have his best game.
It’s important to the Premier League that Arsenal advance past the Germans for that extra Champions League spot.
The same goes for West Ham’s progress in that regard.
But there’s no hiding that some Hammers supporters would have enjoyed how the game panned out.
Deep down, though, West Ham fans weren’t laughing after watching Bayern Munich do a job on Arsenal.
Hammers weren’t laughing as reality dawned
And if we were it was soon on the other side of our faces.
As many watched a thrilling game ebb and flow with the likes of Leroy Sane, Jamal Musiala, Leon Goretzka, Kane and co shining – it suddenly dawned on the West Ham faithful.
If that is what Germany’s second best team are like then how good are West Ham’s next opponents Bayer Leverkusen – the team a full SIXTEEN points ahead of them as they close in on the Bundesliga title and potential treble?
It is a chastening thought.
Arsenal demolished West Ham 6-0 at the London Stadium a couple of months ago.
And while it is far too simplistic a formula, basic logic says if the Gunners struggled against Germany’s second best team then West Ham will certainly have their hands full with Leverkusen.
Of course everyone knows Xabi Alonso’s invincibles are unbeaten in 41 games across all competitions going into Thursday night’s Europa League quarter-final first leg.
The Hammers have three key players missing at the worst possible time too.
If that’s what Bayern are like then imagine Leverkusen
Top scorer Jarrod Bowen is out – possibly for three weeks – while Edson Alvarez is suspended for the first leg in Germany.
Number one goalkeeper Alphonse Areola is also unavailable with a groin injury. But it’s likely he would not have played anyway as Lukasz Fabianski is West Ham’s more than able cup ‘keeper.
Missing that trio has somewhat dampened enthusiasm among a few that West Ham can be the slayers of the invincibles and add another feather to David Moyes’ decorated Hammers cap.
Further context of the task in hand for West Ham comes from Bayer Leverkusen’s results against Munich this season.
West Ham’s opponents smashed them 3-0 at the BayArena and drew 2-2 away.
Hammers face tougher quarter-final than Arsenal
Most have already written West Ham off. That is a dangerous thing to do given the club’s history of spoiling the party.
One man who does think West Ham can upset the odds is German football expert Kevin Hatchard.
His brilliant preview to the tie is a must-read for Hammers fans.
Although the key player he picked out for us against Bayer was that man Bowen.
Say what you want about the Champions League.
But West Ham clearly have the tougher quarter-final opponent compared to the Gunners.
And that tells you everything you need to know about the challenge that awaits Moyes and his team.