Gunners Gear Up for Barcelona Rematch: Can They Channel Their 2025 Glory?
This Thursday, Arsenal will take on Barcelona in the Women's Champions League for the first time since their stunning triumph in the 2025 final. The Gunners clinched that match 1-0 in Lisbon, and now they hope to recapture that magic at the Nou Camp.
Renee Slegers, who stepped into the managerial role just four months before that final, described the victory as her most significant tactical achievement. "It's one of the proudest moments. That performance was immense and it had so many facets to it... We've studied Barcelona and we're in the here and now. This is a new game, a new moment," she said during her pre-match press conference.
Slegers is feeling the heat this season, with Arsenal starting slowly. They find themselves six points adrift of the top three in the WSL and a daunting 12 points behind league leaders Manchester City. A strong performance against Barcelona could be just what the doctor ordered.
In May 2025, Arsenal entered the final as heavy underdogs, going up against a Barcelona side that had decimated Wolfsburg and Chelsea with a combined score of 18-4 in the knockout stages. Barcelona was chasing their third consecutive Champions League title, boasting stars like Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmati in midfield.
Meanwhile, Arsenal had just conceded 13 goals in their last three WSL matches, suffering humiliating defeats to Aston Villa and Brighton. Not the ideal momentum heading into a clash with Europe’s elite.
But as football often shows, form can be irrelevant in a one-off match. The Gunners delivered big performances when it mattered most. Leah Williamson was immense in defense, while Emily Fox effectively contained the Barça trio of Putellas, Claudia Pina, and Fridolina Rolfo. Kim Little also showcased her class in midfield.
Arsenal’s game plan focused on disrupting Barcelona’s passing rhythm, forcing them out wide and pressing aggressively whenever the ball changed hands. This strategy stifled the Spanish side’s usual flow, even though they managed 20 shots throughout the match.
A standout moment came when Williamson made a breathtaking tackle to deny Ewa Pajor a clear goal-scoring opportunity, a clip that quickly went viral.
Arsenal had their chances as well, including an own-goal from Irene Parades that was disallowed for offside. However, it was the substitutions of Stina Blackstenius and Beth Mead in the 67th minute that shifted the game. Blackstenius added a new dimension to Arsenal's attack, stretching the field and putting pressure on Barcelona’s defense.
As Barcelona struggled to regain their attacking rhythm, Blackstenius made an immediate impact, leading her team with the most shots and touches in the opponent's box during her brief time on the pitch. It was her well-placed finish from Mead's assist that ultimately sealed the victory for Arsenal.
After that memorable final, Slegers emphasized the importance of discipline and decision-making. "We knew we had to be really disciplined with everything we did, especially defensively and in our positioning on the ball. The decision-making was on such a high level for the players on the pitch," she noted.
This upcoming clash has been rescheduled to Thursday due to a general strike in Spain, which could affect travel and matchday operations. Despite the 2025 defeat, Barcelona continued their dominance, winning the 2026 title and maintaining a perfect record in the current Champions League.
Arsenal, on the other hand, remains unbeaten in the competition, alongside OL Lyon and Chelsea, contrasting sharply with their domestic struggles. They have been playing their home league phase matches at Borehamwood, with plans to move to the Emirates for the quarter-finals if they progress.
Captain Kim Little expressed confidence in the team's abilities, stating, "Yeah, completely, that doesn't just disappear overnight or because you've had a bad run of results. We’re in a really good place there, and sometimes one can be going better than the other."
As they prepare for this rematch, the parallels to the 2025 final are striking. Arsenal enters this match as underdogs once again, following a shaky start that included a narrow win against HB Koge and a more convincing 3-0 victory over Benfica, sandwiching a 2-2 draw against Paris FC.
