Ona Batlle interview: Arsenal defender on 'exciting' Women's Champions League challenge with new club
Monday, September 21, 2026
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Two-time UEFA Women's Champions League winner Ona Batlle tells UEFA she is excited to test herself with new club Arsenal and reunite with former team-mates Mariona Caldentey and Alessia Russo as the Gunners attempt to regain the European crown.
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"I’m very excited for this new challenge at Arsenal," Ona Batlle tells UEFA, as the Gunners prepare to kick off their UEFA Women's Champions League campaign.
The full-back is relishing the opportunity to test herself with the 2024/25 champions, after winning last season's European title with Barcelona.
"I like challenges, so I think it’s a good challenge with these amazing players I have around me.
"We want to compete for everything, so we’re going to play tough games as every single game in the Champions League is a hard one."
After three silverware-filled seasons with the Spanish champions, Batlle made the move to north London having said farewell to Barcelona in style by winning May's Women's Champions League final 4-0 in Oslo.
It was her second European crown with the team she joined in 2023, but the first European final she had won as a starting player.
"I won two but the first one I didn’t start in the starting 11, so it was nice to actually compete for the whole game and it was amazing. I think the first time was maybe more emotional, but then the second time it was more enjoyable."
Those two European titles, as well as her Women's World Cup and UEFA Nations League winners' medals with Spain, have helped the 27-year-old gain valuable experience and a winning mentality.
"Every single game that you compete in at that kind of level always helps as experience. I’m just trying to add everything I have to the team.
"The Champions League is the most difficult competition I’ve played in; it’s always so challenging to get to the final or as far as you can.
"I’m a player who loves competing, I love being challenged, so I think this competition is actually the most enjoyable because I get to compete and show my best – as you have to be 100% focused, or if not you are always going to struggle."
Batlle has reunited with two former team-mates at Arsenal – striker Alessia Russo, who she played with at Manchester United between 2020 and 2023, and her Spain international and former Barcelona team-mate Mariona Caldentey – who are both nominated for the 2026 Women's Ballon d'Or.
"It’s nice when you come to a new place and you know some people there already. On the pitch, it’s all about knowing what they want or what they like, or how they are as players.
"It’s easy to play with Less [Russo] as she’s so good. Over the years, she’s been improving every single season and hopefully this season as well she gets lots of goals, lots of assists, and has lots of good games to make sure that we get good results.
"Talking about Mariona, she reads the game so well and she works hard. It’s just amazing to have her on my side. It’s the same as with Less – they’re such good players, which makes it easy for you to play with them."
Batlle's new team-mates say she is already making an impact in the squad.
"Firstly, as a person, to have her around is so nice," Russo tells UEFA.
"Ona is someone I really got on with at United; we joined at the same time and we kind of started our professional journeys in England together. So I'm so happy, and I am next to her in the changing room as well – we've got a really close bond.
"As a player, she's so aggressive, so tenacious, she defends with everything on the line and, on the ball, you can see her quality – she's technical, she wants to go forward. She has got an engine that can go on for however long she chooses."
Fellow defender Emily Fox believes the Arsenal back line, which conceded the fewest goals of all teams in the Women's Super League last season, will benefit hugely from Batlle's addition.
"Playing against her [when she was at] Barcelona was extremely difficult, and so having her experience and her success at Barcelona in the Champions League is huge for us," the USA international tells UEFA.
"Being able to gain that experience from her, and then have her play on our team and be an Arsenal player, is massive."
Nineteen-year-old Smilla Holmberg is one of the younger members of the squad who believes they can learn from Batlle.
"She’s a great player who has been playing in the biggest games and winning the biggest trophies, so she’s a big inspiration and I’ve seen her play since I was growing up," the Swedish right-back said.
"She’s a great addition to the team, she’s shown that since she joined this summer, and there are a lot of things I can learn from her and her experience of playing those big games."
The league phase draw sees Arsenal travel to Camp Nou on Matchday 4 to face Batlle's former team in a repeat of the 2024/25 final, which Arsenal won 1-0. It is an occasion Batlle is looking forward to, as well as facing last season's finalists OL Lyonnes at home the following week.
"It's going to be a tough pathway, as we have two of the most difficult teams in OL Lyonnes and Barcelona. I am excited to go back to Barcelona.
"It’s going to be very interesting to see how it’s going to go and where we are at. I’m very excited for it."
Arsenal begin their league phase campaign at home to HB Køge Women on Tuesday 22 September.
* Interview carried out on 8 September 2026
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