Arsenal stun Barcelona to win Women’s Champions League

A trio of Australians helped the north London club stun a star-studded Barcelona team dubbed one of the best club sides women’s football has ever seen.

Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross of Arsenal celebrate with the UEFA Women's Champions League trophy after their team's victory in the UEFA Women's Champions League final match between Arsenal WFC and FC Barcelona Picture: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Quite simply one of the greatest days in Arsenal’s 139-year history. Led by Renée Slegers, their 36-year-old head coach, they completed a fairytale season with an unfathomable upset.

Facing the all-conquering Barcelona, Slegers got her strategy spot on, made perfectly timed substitutions, and guided Arsenal to their first Women’s Champions League title in 18 years, as well as the second by any English club.

“I’m not quite sure it has sunk in yet,” Kim Little, who made her Arsenal debut in 2008, said. “[But] to have won the Champions League, it will obviously go down in history as one of the best moments this club’s ever had, so to think about it like that is incredible.”

Stina Blackstenius swept home the winner in the 74th minute, Leah Williamson was fantastic at the back, and Slegers was the architect of this gargantuan shock. Six minutes earlier, just as Arsenal’s resilience appeared to be waning, she had sent on Blackstenius and Beth Mead in a double substitution that meant Chloe Kelly, who was giving a wonderful masterclass in shithousery, had to be withdrawn.

The switches worked a treat, with Blackstenius’s dynamism and Mead’s finesse delivering the only goal in Lisbon. After a corner was cleared to her, Mead’s intricate, reverse pass with her weaker left foot put Blackstenius clear, and the Sweden striker finished clinically. This was the standout moment of Arsenal’s immaculate tactical performance, which was defined by unerring pragmatism and intermittent, incisive ventures forward.

“It was probably the hardest game we’ve played, with all the quality that Barcelona has, their rotations and individual threats,” Slegers said. “There was so much to deal with.”

Slegers’s presence enhances this result’s ridiculousness. The calm Dutchwoman was an unknown Arsenal assistant at the start of the season and stepped up on an interim basis once Jonas Eidevall resigned in October amid poor form that prevented a meaningful league title challenge. She got the permanent job in January, steered Arsenal to the final through two epic second-leg comebacks, and has now denied Barcelona a third straight European crown.

“There are so many hard times we’ve gone through together,” Slegers said. “We’ve always fought back.”

Barcelona’s selection reinforced their might. Salma Paralluelo, who finished third in Ballon d’Or voting — behind her team-mates Aitana Bonmatí and Caroline Graham Hansen — last autumn, could only make the bench.

Everything in the Estadio José Alvalade signalled Barcelona’s superiority. Even Arsenal’s fans, who produce huge attendances in England, were outnumbered. With Barcelona playing in their fifth straight Champions League final, this has become an annual pilgrimage from Catalonia.

Slegers opted for the combative Kelly out wide, meaning the more subtle Mead was on the bench. Kelly is perhaps an ideal impact substitute, but Arsenal could not risk staggering the introduction of their best players.

Kelly showed her spiky side early, clattering into Clàudia Pina, this season’s Champions League top scorer. The challenge was not dirty, indeed Kelly did not even concede a free kick, but it left Pina in a heap and informed Barcelona that they could not cruise.

Arsenal lift the UEFA Women's Champions League trophy in Lisbon.

While the champions were on top during a lively opening in 28C heat, Arsenal were content to soak up pressure, display a conservatism Chelsea lacked in their semi-final hammering by Barcelona, and pick their moments to attack. Slegers had picked the brains of Vic Akers and Emma Hayes, Arsenal’s coaches for their 2007 Champions League title, this week.

The plan nearly gave Arsenal the lead in the 22nd minute, but Irene Paredes’s own goal was ruled out after a VAR review because Frida Maanum was offside. The near-miss sparked Arsenal’s best spell of the first period. Maanum’s long-range shot forced a fingertip save by Cata Coll, and from the corner Little wasted a glorious opportunity by sending a half-volley well over.

Barcelona soon regrouped. Williamson, who was a ten-year-old Arsenal mascot for that 2007 triumph, made a textbook tackle on Ewa Pajor to prevent the striker going clean through.

Yet Barcelona were a little ponderous in the final third, while Arsenal stayed assertive if profligate. Kelly powerfully dispossessed Alexia Putellas — leaving her on the turf too — but Mariona Caldentey uncharacteristically failed to recognise that passing to Maanum would have created an enormous chance.

Barcelona’s superstars had been unusually quiet before the interval, and that swiftly changed. A glorious interchange involving Bonmatí and Putellas led to an opening for Pina, whose shot deflected off Emily Fox and looped on to the crossbar.

Australia’s golden girls are cheered on by their Arsenal teammates as they raise the trophy to the crowd.

By the hour mark, Arsenal’s defend-and-counter strategy began to lose the “counter” part. After a tiring Maanum lost the ball, Bonmatí’s low drive forced a good save from Daphne van Domselaar.

Arsenal needed fresh legs, and Slegers duly sent on Mead and Blackstenius. Fittingly, Kelly’s last act was to receive a yellow card for poleaxing Putellas off the ball.

Blackstenius instantly injected energy into Arsenal’s attack. She forced a good save from Coll before profiting from Mead’s brilliant pass and etching her name into Arsenal folklore.

There may have been 20 minutes to play but Slegers and her players saw out the game shrewdly.

“The way we managed the game was unbelievable,” Slegers said. “It was beyond expectation.”

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): D van Domselaar 7 — E Fox 7, L Williamson 7, S Catley 7, K McCabe 7 — K Little 6, M Caldentey 6 — C Kelly 8 (B Mead 68min, 8), F Maanum 7 (S Blackstenius 68, 8), C Foord 7 (L Hurtig 86) — A Russo 7 (L Wubben-Moy 90+2). Booked Kelly.

Barcelona (4-3-3) C Coll 7 — O Batlle 5, I Paredes 6, M León 5 (I Engen 79), F Rolfo 6 (E Brugts 79) — A Bonmatí 6, P Guijarro 6, A Putellas 5 — C Graham Hansen 5, E Pajor 5, C Pina 6 (S Paralluelo 62, 6). Booked Paredes, Paralluelo.

Referee I Martincic (Cro). Attendance 38,356.