Football | How Arsenal achieved the unthinkable

How Arsenal won the Women's Champions League 

Arsenal faced the formidable task of halting a Barcelona side in pursuit of a third consecutive European crown. 

Widely regarded as the finest domestic team on the planet, Barcelona arrived with a squad glittering with potential Ballon d'Or contenders in almost every position.

Author | DJ

Arsenal fans had a great night in Lisbon

The Spanish champions exuded confidence and carried themselves accordingly. This was routine for them, another final on another big stage, approached with the same composure and expectation that has defined their dominance.

Arsenal, though, had grown into their own identity under the guidance of Jonas Slegers. Inside the club, players speak of her calm authority and the empowerment she has instilled in the squad.

Many have described feeling liberated on the pitch, encouraged to express themselves more freely. Much of the pre-match media attention focused on the words of Alessia Russo and captain Kim Little, who spoke about the team’s unity and unshakeable belief.

READ MORE | Match report from Super News Affiliate 

Slegers is known for her attention to detail. Little revealed that training sessions had been dedicated to mimicking Barcelona’s patterns of play, attempting to unlock the formula needed to counter them. It wasn’t easy. There were missteps. But eventually, they found their answer.

Full credit to the manager and players

Timothy, an Arsenal fan, gave this passionate account and analysis of the match, saying: "Full credit must go to Renée Slegers and her coaching team. As captain Kim Little said in the aftermath, the game plan was executed to perfection. This was no stroke of luck, but the result of every individual involved giving their all. A remarkable collective performance that proved enough to defeat what is arguably the best team in the world and secure the title of European champions.

"There’s no denying it, the closing stages felt never-ending. If you watched it, you likely shared the same sense of nervous anticipation. It was impossible not to recall the heartbreak of 2006 in Paris, when glory slipped from Arsenal’s grasp at the final hurdle. But this time, the team were defensively resolute, superbly organised, and when the endless minutes of stoppage time finally came to an end and the referee blew the whistle, the emotion was overwhelming."