Women's Champions League final highlights, report: Stina Blackstenius strikes as Arsenal dethrone Barcelona

Arsenal defeated Barcelona 1-0 to win the UEFA Women's Champions League final in Lisbon with a goal from Stina Blackstenius seven minutes after she came off the bench.

Barcelona, aiming for a third straight title as they featured in the final for the fifth year in a row, had the majority of the play and the chances. But they could not force a breakthrough and, with 16 minutes left, Beth Mead set up fellow substitute Blackstenius for the goal that sealed victory 18 years on from Arsenal's only previous final, when they won the old UEFA Women's Cup by beating Umeå by the same 1-0 scoreline on aggregate.

Match in brief: Substitutes provide late twist

Arsenal were boosted by goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar being fit, having not appeared since the semi-final second-leg win at Lyon on 27 April, while Chloe Kelly started on the right with Beth Mead on the bench. They looked to start brightly and had the better of the opening ten minutes, but the first real chance fell to Aitana Bonmatí, whose effort was blocked.

However, Arsenal continued to think positively and Frida Maanum let fly from distance, forcing a fingertip save from Cata Coll; Kim Little blazed over following the resultant corner. Aitana was denied by Van Domselaar after a solo run, and Leah Williamson did well to block from ten-goal competition top scorer Clàudia Pina, starting today having come off the bench for Barcelona in the previous three finals.

Having dominated the later stages of the first half, Barcelona kept that up after the interval, with Pina testing Van Domselaar from distance before combining with Aitana and looping the ball via a deflection off Emily Fox onto the top of the crossbar. Alexia Putellas then played into the path of Ona Batlle, who was only just off target from outside the box.

The pressure continued as again Van Domselaar saved from Aitana. Arsenal brought on Mead and Blackstenius, and they almost struck against the run of play as the Swedish forward won the ball in midfield and broke free – but could not beat Coll. Straight up the other end, Ewa Pajor put a header off target.

Stina Blackstenius celebrates her Women's Champions League final winner for ArsenalGetty Images

However, the changes and the Blackstenius chance gave Arsenal confidence, and with 16 minutes to go they won a corner. That was delivered by former Barcelona stalwart Mariona Caldentey; the ball was only half-cleared and Mead played back in for Blackstenius to apply a cool finish.

Barcelona pressed for an equaliser and an Aitana shot was deflected wide. But Arsenal were able to keep Barcelona at bay to inherit their crown as European champions.

Visa Player of the Match: Stina Blackstenius (Arsenal)

Stina Blackstenius with her trophyUEFA via Getty Images

"Had two chances before the goal with her runs in behind, stretching the game more. Then came the goal showing her match-winning influence; Mead's assist also shows the impact of substitutions for Arsenal in changing the game."

UEFA Technical Observer panel

Faye Hackwell, Arsenal reporter

An 18-year wait for a European trophy finally comes to an end, as Arsenal wrap up a campaign of twists and turns with a momentous victory. There have been so many occasions this season when they could have exited the competition, but they always hit back and today they fought with their hearts on their sleeves. There's a special togetherness in this squad and they channelled their hunger into collective determination and discipline to overcome a great Barcelona side, with a winner from perennial super-sub Blackstenius.

Graham Hunter, Barcelona reporter

They arrived with über-confidence, were heavily favoured, kept trying to compete with Arsenal, but, ultimately, this was a final in which the reigning champions Barcelona were both outplayed and outcompeted.

Stina Blackstenius strikes the winner in the Women's Champions League final for ArsenalAFP via Getty Images

Reaction

Renée Slegers, Arsenal coach: "I'm super-proud of my players. You can have all these ideas in your head, show videos, use your tactics board and then train them, but when you play such a good rival, who we've not faced for years, then it's executing all that in a Champions League final, which says so much about my players. I think this was the hardest game we've played so far – Barcelona gave us so much to deal with.

"So many hard times this season. We’ve been through so much together, but we've always fought back. Belief was growing all season, and a couple of critical moments in the season gave us more and more of that. The players have invested so much; they've been so intense in how they train. All the things we've demanded of them, all the questions we've asked them – they so deserve this!"

Pere Romeu, Barcelona coach: "Losing a final like this leaves you in a complicated mood. Our most experienced, best players know that in a final like this, anything can happen. We wanted more possession, more control. It cost us to generate the superiority which we wanted to achieve.

"I think that the space we generated wide, we didn't manage to convert into clear chances. I thought that the crosses in could have been better. It's one thing we didn't do all that well."

"Everyone can judge our work as they wish. We got to the last match of the Champions League. Self-critically, we didn't produce the best performance, but I don't think that anyone should judge our season just on this match."

Stina Blackstenius, Visa Player of the Match and Arsenal goalscorer: "I just can't believe it. It was such a team performance from the very beginning until the very end. I just can't believe we won the Champions League. It hasn't sunk in yet.

"They said I should try to run in behind and try to stretch them. This is, once again, a big team performance. I'm so proud of our journey, how we came here, and how we managed the game today."

Daphne van Domselaar, Arsenal goalkeeper: "I can't believe it. Honestly, it's something we worked towards the whole season, and we finally made it through to the final and actually won it – that's insane. I think we showed so much determination, and I'm just so proud of everyone.

"Of course, you dream [about keeping a clean sheet in the final] and then it becomes reality. That's insane. I need to give a lot of credit to the girls as well, how much they showed, the blocks they did and they just literally put their body on the line. And I think we all have the same mentality, so I think we've done it as a team."

Kim Little, Arsenal captain: "We knew that we had to be basically perfect to beat Barcelona, who've been one of the best in Europe for years. We did things in training which didn't work; we adapted them, and they did work today. Our players who came on today had an incredible impact.

[On sharing the trophy lift with vice-captain Williamson] "Leah and I went through the game close together. It was hard, it was intense, physical and it was hot. So when we shared that moment at the end, it was very special. Given how much it means to me, it was great to share that with her."

Aitana Bonmatí, Barcelona midfielder: "We weren't at our sharpest in the first half. It cost us to impose our game. After the break, I thought the game was more comfortable for us, but I want to congratulate Arsenal because they hit their game plan, waited for their opportunity and then took it.

“It really hurts me to look up at the stands and see our fans. It reminds me of losing in Turin [in the 2022 final]. Arsenal's goal came from a set play which we didn't defend well, but they knew how to convert their chance. We weren't at our best level, but we gave all we had. In situations like that, football sometimes punishes you. We need to push onwards and use what's happened here to our benefit in the future."

Cata Coll, Barcelona goalkeeper: "I think the game had a bit of everything. Both teams competed, but they managed to get that goal. It hurts, in all honesty. The match is over; we have to deal with it, and that's it.

"Obviously, my main objective is to ultimately keep a clean sheet, and it hurts not being able to achieve that. Arsenal scored, and I'm happy for them. We were just lacking a goal of our own, but it still hurts."

Key stats

• Arsenal won their second title 18 years on from their only previous final; a record gap between first and second titles and finals.
• Arsenal were the first team to reach the final from round 1 of this format and their campaign involved an unprecedented 15 matches.
• Katie McCabe started all 15 matches and her 1,297 minutes is the most ever by a player in a single UEFA women's club season. Blackstenius, Mariona, Caitlin Foord, Maanum and Alessia Russo also appeared in all 15 Arsenal games.
• Barcelona played their 100th game in the competition, the fourth team to reach the mark after Lyon, Arsenal and Wolfsburg. Their first two matches were also losses against Arsenal in the 2012/13 round of 32 (Alexia and Little involved then too).
• Barcelona equalled Lyon's record by playing in a fifth consecutive final.
• Aitana and Alexia kept up their record of appearing in all six of Barcelona's finals. The only other player to appear for Barcelona in their first five was Mariona, who moved to Arsenal last summer and thus celebrated her third title in a row having won in 2023 and 2024 with the Blaugrana.
• Barcelona ended the campaign with 44 goals, one off Wolfsburg's record from 2013/14.

Line-ups

Arsenal: Van Domselaar; Fox, Williamson, Catley, McCabe; Mariona, Maanum (Blackstenius 67), Little; Foord (Hurtig 86), Russo (Wubben-Moy 90+1), Kelly (Mead 67)

Barcelona: Cata Coll; Batlle, Paredes, Mapi León (Engen 78), Rolfö (Brugts 78); Aitana Bonmatí, Patri Guijarro, Alexia Putellas; Graham Hansen, Pajor, Pina (Paralluelo 62)

The pre-match scene in LisbonUEFA via Getty Images