UEFA Women's Champions League final Arsenal vs Barcelona: Get the lowdown

Arsenal play holders Barcelona in the 2025 UEFA Women's Champions League final on Saturday 24 May (18:00 CET kick-off, 17:00 local time).

We pick out some key storylines to follow at Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon.

Barcelona come full circle

Barcelona made their European debut in 2012/13 off the back of winning their first Spanish title, having been transformed by former youth coach Xavi Llorens, appointed during their relegation season of 2006/07. Their first Champions League opponents in the old round of 32 were the club that had won the predecessor UEFA Women's Cup in that same season Barcelona were relegated, Arsenal. Few were surprised when the Gunners came to Catalonia on 25 September 2012 and won 3-0, before a 4-0 home success a week later.

By the time the clubs met again in the 2021/22 group stage, much had changed. Arsenal's English dominance had long been ended while Barça were now the Champions League holders, that first title following their establishment as one of the competition's leading forces. This time Barcelona won 4-1 at home and 4-0 away and although they were to lose the final to Lyon, they have been champions in both subsequent seasons and are now in a record-equalling fifth straight decider – which just happens to be their 100th Champions League game, and against those inaugural opponents, Arsenal.

Barcelona lost 2-0 at Manchester City on Matchday 1 but since then have won nine games in a row, scoring 44 goals (one off the single-season record) and their 10-2 aggregate quarter-final defeat of Wolfsburg was followed by dispatching the Gunners' London rivals Chelsea 4-1 both home and away. Aitana Bonmatí, Caroline Graham Hansen and Alexia Putellas demolished Chelsea for Barcelona's first title in 2021 and all three are on top form once more this term, with Ewa Pajor, Clàudia Pina and Salma Paralluelo adding to that firepower. Not that much more than a decade on from their humbling first taste of European football against Arsenal, Barcelona bring up their century as favourites to beat the same club and get a third title in a row.

Arsenal's strength in adversity

Arsenal's European debut in the inaugural 2001/02 UEFA Women's Cup was over a decade before Barcelona's – and the fact that they reached their 16th quarter-final underlines their longevity at this level. However, despite also contesting eight semis, this is only the Gunners' second final, a full 18 years since that first. Their opponents Umeå were probably even warmer favourites than Barcelona will be for many in Lisbon, but part-timers Arsenal stunned the all-star professional Swedish club 1-0 on aggregate, Alex Scott's long-range strike late in the windy away first leg enough to beat Marta and Co.

The Gunners have shown similar spirit in this campaign. Last season they were knocked out in round 1; this time they have become the first club to reach the final from that opening qualifying stage, and their 15-game campaign will surpass the previous longest by two matches. Not only that, but in all three of their two-legged ties – against Häcken (in round 2), Real Madrid (from 2-0 down in the quarter-finals) and maybe most stunningly in the last four against Lyon – Arsenal have bounced back from losing the first fixture.

Even in the group stage they lost 5-2 at Bayern on Matchday 1 and still ended up in first place. On the eve of Matchday 2, coach Jonas Eidevall resigned but former assistant Renée Slegers has stepped up to brilliant effect, and with an attacking brand of football the former Netherlands player can be just the second 'foreign' coach to win this trophy after Englishman Colin Bell with Frankfurt in 2015.

Key match-ups

Considering Barcelona have scored at least three goals in each of their nine straight wins on the road to the final, the question is whether Arsenal can stem the flow. Ten-goal competition top scorer Pina is not even a guaranteed starter, with summer signing Pajor the prolific spearhead, Graham Hansen and (if preferred to Pina) Paralluelo flying down the wings with Bonmatí and Putellas joining the fray from midfield.

One of Slegers' tactical moves was to shift Steph Catley from full-back to central defence alongside Leah Williamson – though former Barcelona player Laia Codina is another option. Catley and Williamson have gelled well and the Australian's full-back prowess means she can move wider on the left and allow Katie McCabe to push forward (Emily Fox on the other flank can also press in attack). Barcelona will of course look to press Arsenal back but the Gunners can respond and Kim Little in central midfield is also vital in keeping their shape.

Mariona Caldentey, part of all three Barça final wins, is now at Arsenal and has been moved from her more attacking role to one alongside Little in central midfield; her old club colleague Patri Guijarro will have an important task tracking her Spain squad-mate. Arsenal's attack is centred on Alessia Russo, having an excellent season, with wide players Caitlin Foord, Chloe Kelly (loaned from Manchester City in January) and Beth Mead, plus Frida Maanum in the No10 spot. Mapi León and Irene Paredes at the back for Barcelona will attempt to keep them as contained as they did Chelsea in the semis.