There is a palpable sense 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 once again in the final four, marking a second consecutive year of this high‑profile showdown. The Gunners are chasing back‑to‑back European crowns after their triumph over Barcelona in Lisbon last season, a victory in which Swedish striker Stina Blackstenius clinched the decisive goal.
Blackstenius has built a reputation for delivering decisive strikes when the stakes are highest; she has featured in four finals for Arsenal and found the net in three of those occasions, 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 Sunday’s first‑leg semi‑final at the Emirates. "As a forward, you always want to score, and in big games there’s something extra special about it." Under the guidance of manager Renee Slegers, Arsenal have cultivated an impressive home record that fuels confidence despite the disappointment of losing the first leg of last year’s semi‑final before rallying to defeat the eight‑time European champions on French soil.
That comeback encapsulated the narrative of Arsenal’s recent campaign: a group of underdogs who refuse to accept defeat. This season, however, the narrative has shifted – they are now the team everyone is aiming to beat. When asked whether holding the Champions League title has altered the team’s mindset, Blackstenius replied, "I wouldn’t say it changes anything.
We know we can win, and if we did it once, we can certainly do it again. That confidence is there, but I don’t feel we’re under more pressure than last season.
We still work hard, we still want to reach the final – that’s the only goal we have." She added, "We have grown a lot since last year. We didn’t always get the best results, but we came back against Real Madrid and Lyon away, which gave us a huge boost in confidence. When we play our best football, we’re always a team to count on." Arsenal’s attacking duo of Blackstenius and Alessia Russo has been instrumental in the club’s progress. Russo currently tops the Champions League scoring charts with eight goals in ten matches, while Blackstenius provides the clinical edge that often proves decisive.
Their partnership has flourished, in part thanks to the influence of assistant coach and former England striker Kelly Smith, who works closely with the forwards. "Kelly has been vital in developing us as attackers. We spend a lot of time in training building our understanding, and it pays off on the pitch," Blackstenius explained.
"We are different players, offering varied qualities. That diversity makes us strong because we can adapt to different opponents." She continued, "Alessia and I complement each other perfectly. I like to run deep, stretch the defence, make runs into the box and create space for myself and my teammates.
That’s my role and I embrace it. Alessia, on the other hand, is brilliant with the ball and excels at setting up chances.
Together we make it difficult for any defence to contain us." The synergy between the two forwards is one of the reasons Arsenal moved quickly to secure a new contract for Blackstenius earlier this week, adding further depth and flexibility to the squad. Reflecting on her time at the club, Blackstenius said, "Arsenal is a special club in many ways. Since I joined four and a half years ago, so much has happened. The league is fun, the supporters are amazing, and the environment feels like home.
We want to win trophies and compete in every competition. I can see the club growing, and I’m excited to be part of that journey." 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 crucial moments, 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 confidence, experience, and a hunger for back‑to‑back European glory. With Blackstenius leading the line, Russo providing firepower, and a supportive coaching staff, the team appears well‑equipped to face Olympique Lyonnais once more and, perhaps, add another chapter to their growing legacy in women’s football.