Arsenal's women's side are once again caught in a familiar whirlwind of expectation and excitement. Not only have both of the club's senior squads reached the Champions League semi‑finals, but the women’s team are set to clash with Olympique Lyonnais for a second straight year in the competition’s final four.
The Gunners are chasing consecutive European crowns after their dramatic victory over Barcelona in Lisbon last season, a match that was decided by the decisive strike of forward Stina Blackstenius. Blackstenius has built 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, cementing her status as a clutch player.
Speaking exclusively to Sky Sports ahead of the first leg of the semi‑final at the Emirates, the Swedish striker expressed her passion for winning with Arsenal. "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 goals and in these big games, there's something special about it." Under the guidance of manager Ragnhild Slegers, Arsenal have cultivated an impressive home record, and the squad enters this tie with genuine belief, despite having lost the first‑leg encounter in the previous campaign before overturning the deficit against the eight‑time European champions on French soil. That comeback epitomised the narrative of Arsenal’s recent triumphs: a group of underdogs who refuse to accept defeat.
This season, however, the Gunners find themselves as the team to beat, with opponents keen to end their ascendancy. "I wouldn't say it's changed anything being the Champions League holders," Blackstenius remarked. "We know that we can achieve it and if we've done it once, we can for sure do it again. That is the confidence we have in this team, but I don't feel that we play with more pressure now than last season.
We still try to work really hard to achieve this. We know that we want to play in the final and that's the only goal we have." She added that the experience of last season’s campaign has been a catalyst for growth.
"We have grown so much from what we achieved last season. We didn't always get the best result, but we came back against Real Madrid and OL Lyonnais away as well, so that gave us a lot of confidence. When we play our best football, we're always a team to count on." Arsenal’s attacking firepower is further bolstered by Alessia Russo, who currently tops the Champions League scoring chart with eight goals in ten matches. The partnership between Blackstenius and Russo has blossomed into one of the most prolific duos in European women’s football, a development that owes much to the mentorship of assistant coach Kelly Smith, a former England striker of great repute.
"She [Smith] has played a big part of it working with us forwards. We have so much time in training to work on the relationships and it works really well," Blackstenius explained. "We are different players, and we can give the team different things. That's the quality we have in this team and that's what makes us really good as well because we all give something different, which can be good against different teams." Describing her own role, Blackstenius said, "Alessia and I complement each other.
I've always been a player that wants to run deep and try to stretch the line, make the runs in the box to create space for myself and for everyone around me. I see that as my role, and I'm more than happy with that. Alessia has so many qualities in the way she plays as well, she's really good with the ball, really good with setting up players in good situations, so we can really help each other in that way and make it as hard as possible for the defensive line.
I enjoy playing with her very much and want to see if we can keep improving even more." Their contrasting styles have also influenced Arsenal’s decision to secure Blackstenius on a new contract, announced earlier this week. The club sees her versatility and experience as vital assets, providing tactical flexibility that can be decisive in tight knockout fixtures. Reflecting on her time at the club, Blackstenius said, "It's a really special club in so many ways.
Since I joined four and a half years ago, so much has happened. It's such a fun league to play in and with the supporters we have, it's such a good group of girls, good staff and everything around this environment feels like home. We also want to go for silverware and compete in every competition we're in. I feel like we keep growing and that's a big part as well, that you can see where it's about to go." Looking ahead, Arsenal could soon be travelling to Oslo for the Champions League final scheduled for May 23.
Given Blackstenius’s knack for delivering in decisive moments, it would be surprising if she does not play a pivotal role in guiding the Gunners to that stage. In summary, Arsenal’s women’s side combine a seasoned core, a dynamic attacking partnership, and a coaching staff that emphasizes cohesion and tactical nuance. Their recent history of overcoming odds, coupled with the confidence that comes from being reigning champions, positions them as a formidable contender.
Whether they repeat their triumph or fall just short, the upcoming semi‑final against OL Lyonnais promises to be a compelling chapter in a story that continues to captivate fans across Europe.