Lisbon, Portugal – Arsenal lifted their second Women’s Champions League trophy after defeating defending champion Barcelona 1-0 in the final on Saturday.
The victory marked a remarkable turnaround for the team, which included coach Jonas Eidevall’s resignation and assistant Renée Seglers’ takeover. Despite being considered underdogs, Arsenal outperformed Barcelona with a strong defense and a goal from Stina Blackstenius in the 75th minute.
“We had to be basically perfect to beat Barcelona,” said Arsenal captain Kim Little. “Our players who came on today had an incredible impact.”
The game was closely contested, but Arsenal’s work rate and pressing strategy proved decisive. Barcelona, which won nine straight matches in the competition, was unable to find a way past the Arsenal defense.
“We tried to exploit weaknesses where we could,” said Seglers, who was praised for her masterful coaching performance. “We stopped their midfield engine and put pressure on them with our frontline and midfield.”
The loss was a huge disappointment for Barcelona fans, but they vowed to return stronger next season. The victory marked Arsenal’s first Women’s Champions League title since 2005, ending an 18-year wait.
Arsenal forward Mariona Caldentey consoled Barcelona star Aitana Bonmatí before the final whistle, and the team celebrated with streamers and glittering confetti.
Source: https://www.espn.com/soccer/report/_/gameId/735085