Arsenal 1-0 FC Barcelona
by Ben Gilby (24/5/25)
Above: Steph Catley battles away in tonight’s final. Photo: UWCL
Arsenal produced a superb performance full of discipline, grit and supreme tactical organisation to win the UEFA Women’s Champions League at Lisbon’s Estádio José Alvalade this evening.
The Gunners won their second European trophy – some 18 years after their first – a sensational feat as they underline their achievement of being the only British side to win a continental cup.
Renee Slegers named an unchanged starting line-up from their second-leg semi-final win at Olympique Lyonnais as her side went into battle against a Barcelona side playing their hundredth Champions League game and their fifth successive final.
The temperature at kick-off time was in the low 80s, with the added heat in the shape of a stunning atmosphere produced by two of the most passionate sets of fans in the women’s club game beaming down from the stands at Sporting CP men’s 50,095 capacity stadium.
The opening 20 minutes were going to be all-important for the Gunners. They needed to boss the flanks in order to maintain possession and ensure that the Catalan side were denied the ability to drive through the middle of the park. This, allied with a rapid high press, was pretty much successful as Slegers’ side saw out this important period of the game largely unscathed.
With 11 minutes played, both teams gained their first half-chances. Kim Little gained possession on the right-hand flank and floated a perfect high ball across to the back post where Caitlin Foord was waiting to direct a header across goal, but no one was coming in to put on the finishing touch.
Immediately afterwards, Aitana was found in the box and hit a shot that Steph Catley got an excellent block on to loop the ball up into the arms of Gunners keeper Daphne van Domselaar.
Foord had made an intelligent start to the game, timing her runs perfectly into space behind the Barcelona defence to create opportunities for both herself and the explosive presence of Alessia Russo.
Then, with 22 minutes gone, the Gunners penetrated the Catalan defence. Chloe Kelly played a low ball into the box, and Peredes turned the ball into her own net. The defending champions were saved, however, when a VAR check rightly showed Kelly was marginally offside.
However, it was a warning sign for Barcelona. Arsenal’s game plan was working, and the pressure was building. They were being rewarded for their intelligent and patient approach to the game that was now beginning to both nullify the three-time Champions League winners’ attack, and see them maximise both possession and territory. The chances were continuing to come.
Five minutes later, after excellent work from Catley, Frida Leonhardsen Maanum let fly from 35 yards out, bringing a fine save from Cata Coll, who pushed it over the top.
Catley and Kelly were continuing to link up well, and Foord threatened offensively as well as dropping back to assist her defence with some superb tackles. All Arsenal needed now was a goal to reward their work in the opening half-hour. At this, the highest level of the club game, you have to score when on top, especially against the Catalan giants. It failed to materialise.
As the half entered its final 10 minutes, Barcelona put together their most consistent period of pressure, although most of the attacks were coming along the flanks, as the Gunners were still managing to deny the holders the passage through the centre that they thrive on. It remained goalless at the break.
Barcelona came out in the early stages of the second half full of their quick passing triangles. From one such build-up on the left, Pina hit a shot that took a deflection and looped up onto the crossbar before Arsenal cleared. Shortly afterwards, Ona Batlle saw a drive from the edge of the box go narrowly wide of the left-hand post.
The Catalans upped the pace and intensity, crucially allowed more space to attack more centrally. Ewa Pajor was seeing more of the ball, and Aitana was aiming to get shots away. Batlle saw another long-range effort just fly over the top. Arsenal needed to slow things down and regain the middle of the park in order to end the spell of momentum that Barcelona had built.
In the end, that was achieved thanks to the introduction of Stina Blackstenius and Beth Mead with 67 minutes played. Their outstanding link-up play through the centre was the catalyst for Arsenal to drive through that area of the field, and once more break up Barcelona’s favoured method of attack.
Five minutes after coming on, Blackstenius danced her way through the centre with space to drive into and let fly with a shot that Cata Coll saved with her legs. It was a warning to the defending champions of what the newly arrived pair offered – a real threat.
There was a reminder of what Barcelona could do when Alexia’s ball in was headed just over the top by Pajor.
However, it wasn’t long before the Gunners’ substitutes combined to deadly effect. Mariona’s corner from the right wasn’t cleared, and she was able to feed Mead from the same part of the field. The Lionesses’ star played a pass through to Blackstenius, who lashed the ball home.
Arsenal saw out the remaining 15 minutes of regulation time and eight minutes of stoppage time confidently and competently to earn a superb reward. They are Champions of Europe once again.
Teams: ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): van Domselaar, Fox, Williamson, Catley, McCabe, Little, Caldentey, Kelly, Leonhardsen Maanum, Foord, Russo. Substitutes: Blackstenius (for Leonhardsen Maanum 67′), Laia Codina, Cooney-Cross, Nighswonger, Hurtig (for Foord 86′), Ilestedt, Mead (for Kelly 67′), Pelova, Williams, Wubben-Moy (for Russo 91′), Wälti, Zinsberger.
Scorers: Blackstenius 74’.
FC BARCELONA (4-3-3): Cata Coll, Peredes, Mapi Leòn, Pina, Rolfö, Graham Hansen, Alexia, Patrii, Aitana, Pajor, Batlle. Substitutes: Gemma, Roebuck, Jana, Paralluelo (for Pina 62′), Marta, Vicky, Engen (for Mapi Leòn 79′), Brugts (for Rolfö 79′), Caño, Schertenleib, Serrajordi, Judit.
Referee: Ivana Martinčić (CRO).
Attendance: 38,356.
If you missed the previous articles in our countdown to the UWCL final, you can find them below:
- Vic Ackers and Arsenal’s trophy-ridden past: https://impetusfootball.org/2025/05/20/arsenal-women-trophy-hunters-across-time/
- The financial implications of the UWCL: https://impetusfootball.org/2025/05/19/its-good-to-share-rethinking-the-creation-and-distribution-of-revenue-in-the-womens-game/
- Kim Little profile & analysis: https://impetusfootball.org/2025/05/22/kim-little-enduring-excellence-on-the-european-stage/
- Steph Catley media conference: https://impetusfootball.org/2025/05/23/steph-catley-this-is-a-special-team-and-we-have-a-lot-of-belief-in-what-were-doing/
- What this final means to Australian Arsenal fans: https://impetusfootball.org/2025/05/23/australian-arsenal-fans-share-their-love-of-the-gunners-ahead-of-champions-league-final/
- Analysis of Chloe Kelly’s influence on the Gunners: https://impetusfootball.org/2025/05/23/from-city-outcast-to-european-finalist-how-chloe-kelly-changed-the-narrative/
- In-depth preview of the Final: https://impetusfootball.org/2025/05/24/the-final-showdown-arsenal-vs-barcelona-preview/
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