UEFA Women’s Champions League Final: Arsenal Seeks Redemption Against Barcelona
Arsenal is set to take on Barcelona in the 2025 UEFA Women’s Champions League final, aiming for their second title 18 years after their first, while Barcelona looks to secure their third consecutive win. The match will take place at Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon.
When Barcelona made their European debut back in the 2012/13 season, after winning their first Spanish title, they faced Arsenal, who had already established their dominance by winning the UEFA Women’s Cup that same year. During their initial meetings, Arsenal defeated Barcelona easily, first with a 3-0 away win and then a 4-0 victory at home. Fast forward to 2021/22, and the tables had turned quite dramatically—Barcelona was now the reigning Champions League holder, having put together a strong team. They convincingly beat Arsenal 4-1 at home and 4-0 away. Since then, Barcelona has gone on to secure the trophy in the following two seasons, now reaching this final as they celebrate their 100th Champions League match.
Barcelona has had a strong season in the 2024/25 Champions League, shaking off an early setback with a loss to Manchester City to win their next nine matches, scoring an impressive 44 goals along the way. Key players like Aitana Bonmatí, Caroline Graham Hansen, and Alexia Putellas, who were instrumental in their 2021 victory, are in excellent form again. Now, just over a decade since their first encounter with Arsenal, they enter this final as clear favorites.
For Arsenal, this is their second final, a significant achievement considering their long history in European competitions. Although they faced a tough journey to reach this point, having been ousted in the first round last season, they’ve rebounded remarkably this time. They became the first club to progress to the final after starting from the opening qualifying stage, displaying resilience by overcoming deficits in critical matches against Häcken, Real Madrid, and Lyon.
A notable challenge for Arsenal will be stifling Barcelona’s potent attack. With players like Pina, who has scored ten goals in the competition, and a lineup featuring Pajor, Graham Hansen, and Bonmatí, Barcelona’s offensive options are vast. Arsenal’s coach, Renée Slegers, has made strategic adjustments, moving Steph Catley to central defense, which could create opportunities for their attackers like Katie McCabe and Emily Fox to push forward.
