Arsenal's women's side are once again living through a familiar feeling of déjà vu. Not only have both of the club's senior teams reached the Champions League semi‑finals, but the women are set to meet Olympique Lyonnais Féminin in the final four for a second year running. The Gunners are chasing a repeat of last season's triumph, when they edged past Barcelona in Lisbon thanks to a decisive strike from Stina Blackstenius. Blackstenius has built a reputation for delivering when the stakes are highest.
In the four finals she has contested while wearing the Arsenal badge, she has found the net in three of them, helping the club secure victory each time. "I love winning with this team and I would do anything to make that happen," she told Sky Sports ahead of the first leg of the semi‑final at the Emirates. "As a striker, you always want to score, and in big games there’s an extra something that makes it special." Under the guidance of manager Ragnhild Slegers, Arsenal have cultivated an impressive home record that fuels confidence even after the disappointment of losing the first leg of last year’s semi‑final. That defeat was later avenged when the Gunners turned the tables in France, overturning a deficit to defeat the eight‑time European champions.
That comeback epitomised Arsenal’s season: a group of underdogs who refuse to accept defeat and now find themselves as the team to beat. When asked whether holding the Champions League title has altered the team’s mindset, Blackstenius replied, "It hasn’t changed anything. We know we can win it and if we did it once, we can certainly do it again. That confidence is there, but I don’t feel any extra pressure compared with last season.
We still work hard, we still want to reach the final – that’s the only goal we have." She added that the squad has grown considerably since the previous campaign. "We didn’t always get the best results last year, but we came back against Real Madrid and Lyon 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 leads 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 large part of that chemistry can be credited to the work of assistant coach and former England striker Kelly Smith, who has spent extensive time with the forwards during training. "Kelly has played a huge role with us attackers," Blackstenius explained. "We have plenty of time in training to develop our relationships, and it shows on the pitch.
We are different players, offering different qualities, and that variety makes the team strong against a variety of opponents." She described her own role as one of stretching the defence, making deep runs and creating space for herself and her teammates. "I like to run deep, pull the line apart and make runs into the box. That’s my job and I’m happy with it." In contrast, Russo brings a different skill set.
"Alessia is excellent with the ball, she creates chances for others and makes life difficult for defenders. Our styles complement each other, and together we make it hard for the opposition to organise. I enjoy playing with her and hope we can keep improving." Their complementary styles were a factor in Arsenal’s decision to offer Blackstenius a new contract earlier this week, a move the club sees as adding depth and flexibility to the squad.
"Arsenal is a special club in many ways," Blackstenius said. "Since I arrived four and a half years ago, so much has happened. The league is fun, the supporters are amazing, the staff are supportive, and the whole environment feels like home." She emphasized the team’s ambition to chase silverware in every competition.
"We want to win trophies and keep growing. You can see the progress and where the club is heading." Looking ahead, Arsenal could soon find themselves in Oslo, where the Champions League final is scheduled for 23 May.
Given Blackstenius’s knack for scoring decisive goals, it would not be surprising to see her play a pivotal role in guiding the Gunners to that stage. In summary, Arsenal’s women’s side enter the semi‑final with a blend of experience, confidence and a clear hunger for back‑to‑back European glory.
With Blackstenius leading the line, Russo providing a creative spark, and a supportive coaching staff behind them, the Gunners are poised to be a team that opponents cannot ignore as they aim to replicate last season’s triumph against OL Lyonnes.