There is a palpable feeling of déjà vu surrounding Arsenal at the moment. Not only have both of the club's senior sides reached the Champions League semi‑final stage, but the women’s team are set to meet Olympique Lyonnais again in the final four for a second year running.
The Gunners are chasing consecutive European crowns after their triumph over Barcelona in Lisbon last season – a victory that was sealed by Stina Blackstenius’s decisive goal. Blackstenius has a reputation for delivering when the stakes are highest; she has featured in four finals for Arsenal and found the net in three of those occasions, a record that underlines her knack for scoring in crucial moments.
Speaking exclusively to Sky Sports ahead of Sunday’s first‑leg semi‑final at the Emirates, the Swedish striker expressed her passion for winning with the club. “I really love to win with this team. I would do anything for that to happen,” she said. “As a striker you always want to score, and in these big games there’s something special about it.” Arsenal’s home form under manager Renee Slegers has been outstanding, giving the squad a strong belief heading into the tie despite the fact that they lost the first leg of last year’s semi‑final before turning the tie around in France against the eight‑time European champions.
That comeback encapsulated the narrative of Arsenal’s recent campaign: a group of underdogs who never accepted defeat. This season, however, they have become the ones to watch, the side that other teams fear. When asked whether being the defending Champions League holders had altered the team’s mindset, Blackstenius replied, “I wouldn’t say it’s changed anything. We know we can do it, and if we’ve done it once we can certainly do it again.” She added that the confidence within the squad is high, but she does not feel the pressure is greater than it was last season.
“We still work hard to achieve our goal – we want to be in the final. That’s the only objective we have.” Reflecting on the progress made since the previous campaign, she noted, “We have grown a lot. We didn’t always get the best results last year, but we came back against Real Madrid and OL Lyonnes away, which gave us a lot of belief.
When we play our best football, we are always a team to count on.” Arsenal’s attacking partnership has been a key factor in their success. Alessia Russo, Blackstenius’s teammate, currently tops the Champions League scoring charts with eight goals in ten matches. The two forwards have blended seamlessly, producing some of the most attractive football of their careers, a development that owes much to the guidance of assistant coach and former England striker Kelly Smith.
“She has played a huge part working with us forwards,” Blackstenius explained. “We have a lot of time in training to develop our relationships, and it works really well.” She continued, “We are different players and we bring different qualities to the team.
That diversity is what makes us strong, because we can adapt to different opponents. Alessia and I complement each other. I like to run deep, stretch the line, make runs into the box and create space for myself and my teammates. That’s my role and I’m happy with it.” Regarding Russo, Blackstenius added, “Alessia is technically gifted, great at holding the ball and setting up teammates in good positions.
Together we make it difficult for any defence to cope.” Their contrasting styles have convinced Arsenal’s hierarchy to secure Blackstenius on a new contract earlier this week, a move that adds further depth and options to the squad. “The club is special in so many ways,” Blackstenius said of Arsenal. “Since I joined four and a half years ago, so much has happened.
It’s a fun league, the supporters are amazing, and the environment feels like home. We want to win trophies and compete in every competition.
I feel we keep growing, and you can see the direction we’re heading.” Looking ahead, the Gunners could soon be travelling to Oslo, where the Champions League final is scheduled for 23 May. It would not be surprising if Blackstenius once again plays a pivotal role in guiding Arsenal to that stage. Beyond the pitch, Arsenal’s fans can engage with the club through various platforms, from free WSL highlights to streaming services that require no contract.
The excitement surrounding the semi‑final and the potential Oslo showdown underscores why Arsenal remains a team to count on, both now and in the seasons to come.