Arsenal's women's side find themselves in familiar territory this season, echoing the excitement and anticipation that marked their recent campaigns. Both the senior men's and women's squads have reached the Champions League semi‑final stage, and for the second year running the Gunners' women will clash with Olympique Lyonnais in the final four. The atmosphere at the Emirates feels almost nostalgic, as the club prepares to defend the title they captured last year in Lisbon, where they edged out Barcelona thanks in large part to a decisive strike from forward Stina Blackstenius.
Blackstenius has built a reputation for delivering when the stakes are highest. In every final she has contested for Arsenal, she has found the net in three out of four appearances, and each of those matches has ended in victory for the London side. "I love winning with this team and I would move mountains to make that happen," she told Sky Sports ahead of the first leg of the semi‑final at the Emirates.
"As a striker, you thrive on scoring, and in big games there’s an extra thrill that you just can’t replicate elsewhere." Under the guidance of head coach Renée Slegers, Arsenal have cultivated an impressive home record that fuels their confidence, even though they suffered a narrow defeat in the first leg of last season's semi‑final. That setback proved merely a stepping stone, as the Gunners rallied to overturn the deficit and defeat the eight‑time European champions on French soil.
The narrative of the previous campaign was clear: an underdog team that refused to accept defeat and turned adversity into triumph. This season, however, the narrative has shifted slightly – Arsenal now arrive as the team to beat, with rivals keenly aware of their capacity to overturn odds. When asked whether holding the Champions League trophy had altered the team's mindset, Blackstenius was candid: "It hasn’t changed anything fundamentally. We know we can win it, and if we did it once, we can definitely do it again.
The confidence is there, but I don’t feel any extra pressure compared to last season. We keep working hard because our sole aim is to reach the final and lift the trophy." She highlighted the growth the squad has experienced since their victorious run. "We learned a lot from last season’s challenges – coming back against Real Madrid and Lyon away gave us a massive boost in belief.
When we play our best football, we are always a team to count on," she added. A key component of Arsenal’s attacking firepower this year is Alessia Russo, who currently tops the Champions League scoring charts with eight goals in ten matches. The partnership between Blackstenius and Russo has flourished, producing some of the most compelling football of their careers. Their synergy is credited in part to the influence of assistant coach Kelly Smith, a former striker of great repute.
"Kelly has been instrumental in developing us forwards. We spend a lot of time in training fine‑tuning our understanding, and it pays off on the pitch," Blackstenius explained. She elaborated on the complementary nature of their styles: "I like to make deep runs, stretch the defence, and create space both for myself and my teammates.
That’s my role, and I’m happy with 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 settle." The club’s decision to offer Blackstenius a new contract earlier this week underscores how highly they value her contributions and the variety she brings to the squad. "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 incredible, and the environment feels like home. We aim for silverware in every competition, and I can see the team continuing to grow," she said. Looking ahead, the Gunners could soon find themselves traveling to Oslo for the Champions League final on 23 May.
Given Blackstenius’s knack for scoring crucial goals, it would not be surprising to see her play a pivotal role in guiding Arsenal to that stage. Beyond the pitch, the club continues to engage fans with various initiatives, from free WSL highlights to streaming options without long‑term contracts.
The excitement surrounding the upcoming matches, combined with the team’s ambition and depth, suggests that Arsenal’s women are poised to write another memorable chapter in European football history. Whether they lift the trophy or finish as runners‑up, the consistency, resilience, and flair displayed by players like Blackstenius and Russo make them a side that opponents will always have to respect.