'We came, we saw, we lost' - Arsenal fans begin epic long trip home from Baku

Arsenal fans have voiced their pain over paying thousands to see their team crushed in the Europa League final - and now having to fly 2,500 miles back home in defeat.

The Premier League team suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of rival team Chelsea yesterday - and Arsenal fans are flying back from Azerbaijan's capital Baku with their hopes in tatters.

Despite an encouraging first-half performance, the Gunners slumped to a devastating 4-1 loss after half-time, meaning the north London side miss out on Europe's premier club competition next term.

One fan shared his pain on Twitter, writing: 'Nothing like a decent breakfast before an eight-hour cab journey back to the border of Azerbaijan and Georgia.'

Another revealed he was 'drowning his sorrows' at 3.22am in their hotel before the journey home from Baku, and a fellow fan responded four minutes later saying: 'Can't sleep and it's 03.17. Might go for a swim in the Caspian.'

One fan responded saying it was a 'disgrace that the club didn't do more to subsidise fans travelling to see that calamity'.

It was Chelsea’s third major European trophy since 2012. Eden Hazard, who is tipped to be leaving for Real Madrid, scored two goals in the game, which was the first all-London European final.

Arsenal went a goal down after 49 minutes and 15 minutes later trailed by three.

Responding to a post claiming the event was a 'bull**** venue for a bull**** competition', one fan said: 'What a shambles. And still another couple of hours till the plane leaves.'

The same fan also said: 'What a miserable f***ing shambles. Losing to Chelsea is hateful. Losing to them in a half full stadium that makes one long for the camaraderie of a disused gulag is tight up there.'

Some fans were so distraught at their team's performance they said Arsenal should even refund their travel costs.

One said: 'We deserve better as fans. Especially the ones that shelled out thousands of £ to travel to Baku.

'Surely questions have to be asked. Not just of the players but the manager too.

'Tonight showed a lack of a game plan. The word clueless comes to mind.'

Another tagged the Arsenal Twitter account, demanding they 'do [the] right thing and refund everyone who made the trip to Baku'.

He continued: 'Refund their entire trip. They did not pay as much as they did, or travel for as long as they did, to see a performance like that.'

Matt Limrick said it was a 'horrible match', adding that he felt sympathy for the fans who travelled to Baku, and 'the least Arsenal could do is repay their travel costs'.

Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown said the defeat is another sign of the club's decline and leaves them with little hope of building for a top four finish in the Premier League next term.

'[It was] a system failure for Arsenal,' he told BT Sport. '[Chelsea were] too good for Arsenal tonight. It really magnifies the decline of Arsenal football club. It's nowhere near the club it once was.

'Whether it was [Arsene] Wenger was there too long. Recruitment is what it has to be, and I don't know if the budget is there to bring Arsenal into the top four next season.

'You mention about keeping the players. Aubameyang and Lacazette, it won't be easy to hold onto those players. It severely dents the budget. Maybe £40million worse off.'