Lisboa, Portugal – On May 24, 2025, Barcelona, the reigning champions of the UEFA Women’s Champions League, faced off against Arsenal at Estádio José Alvalade in Lisboa for a highly anticipated final. The match kicked off at 18:00 local time, with Barcelona looking to claim their fourth title and Arsenal aiming for their second Champions League crown since 2007.
Despite being the favorites, as stated by current Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmatí, Barcelona was aware that the match was not guaranteed. ‘We know we are favorites based on our previous performances, but we won’t take this match lightly,’ Bonmatí said at the pre-match press conference. Arsenal’s Mariona Caldentey previously played for Barcelona, adding more intrigue to the fixture.
In European football, Barcelona has been dominant, winning three Champions League titles out of the last four editions. This dominance translates to their domestic league, where they have only suffered six losses in 205 matches since the 2018-19 season, boasting a 93.5% win rate. Conversely, Arsenal has struggled, winning just 68% of their matches in the Women’s Super League over the past seven seasons.
Statistically, the gap between the two teams was evident; Barcelona has scored an impressive 1,244 goals over the last several years at an average of 4.05 goals per match, while Arsenal managed 689 goals averaging 2.81 per game. This season in the Champions League, Barcelona netted 44 goals and conceded only 7 compared to Arsenal’s 36 goals scored and 15 conceded.
Claudia Pina emerged as a key player for Barcelona, currently leading the Champions League in scoring with 10 goals. Her contributions were crucial as the team sought to fill the void left by Mariona Caldentey’s departure.
The match unfolded with both teams attempting to impose their strategies early on. Arsenal’s initial pressure disrupted Barcelona’s rhythm, leading to a closely contested first half. The Gunners displayed resilience while Barcelona struggled to create clear chances.
Just 15 minutes before the final whistle, Stina Blackstenius found the net, delivering Arsenal’s decisive goal to make the score 1-0. Barcelona, despite showing signs of improvement in the second half and creating opportunities, ultimately failed to capitalize on their chances, much to the dismay of their supporters, who traveled in numbers.
‘We played well but we just couldn’t find the back of the net,’ Bonmatí lamented post-match. ‘It was a learning experience for us.’ The disappointment was palpable as the final whistle blew, marking Barcelona’s first defeat in a Champions League final in several years.
As Arsenal celebrated their unexpected victory, the Barcelona team was left to ponder what went wrong, aiming for a revival in the upcoming season.
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