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 semi‑final stage of the UEFA Champions League, but the women’s team are once again set to meet Olympique Lyonnais (OL Lyonnes) in the final four for a second year running. The Gunners are chasing back‑to‑back European crowns after clinching the title in Lisbon last season by beating Barcelona, a victory that was sealed by none other than Stina Blackstenius. The Swedish forward has built a reputation for finding the net when the stakes are highest.
In fact, she has featured in four finals for Arsenal and has scored in three of those decisive matches, underscoring her knack for delivering in the biggest moments. "I really love to win with this team. I would do anything for that to happen," Blackstenius told Sky Sports in an exclusive interview ahead of the first‑leg semi‑final at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. "As a striker, you always want to score goals and in these big games, there's something special about it." Arsenal’s impressive home record under manager Renee Slegers gives the side genuine confidence heading into the tie, even though they lost the first‑leg semi‑final last year before staging a dramatic comeback against the eight‑time European champions on French soil.
That comeback epitomised Arsenal’s season: a squad that entered as underdogs, refused to accept defeat, and kept fighting until the final whistle. This time, however, the narrative has shifted – they are now the team that everyone is watching, the side that other clubs fear.
"I wouldn't say it's changed anything [being the Champions League holders]," Blackstenius continued. "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." She added that the Gunners are still driven by the same work‑ethic that propelled them to glory last year.
"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.
We have grown so much from what we achieved last season. We didn't always get the best result last year, we came back against Real Madrid and OL Lyonnes 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 this season is further boosted by Alessia Russo, who currently leads the Champions League scoring charts with eight goals in ten matches. The partnership between Blackstenius and Russo has been a revelation, with both players delivering some of the finest football of their careers. Their synergy is partly credited to the guidance of assistant coach Kelly Smith, a former England striker whose experience has proven invaluable. "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." She described her own role as one of stretching the opposition defence, making deep runs, and creating space for herself and her teammates.
"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." The club’s confidence in Blackstenius was evident when they offered her a new contract earlier this week, a move that reflects the desire to retain her talent and the value of having multiple attacking options. "It's a really special club in so many ways," she said.
"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." Blackstenius also highlighted Arsenal’s ambition to compete for every trophy on offer.
"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, the Gunners could soon be travelling to Oslo, where the Champions League final is scheduled for 23 May. Given her track record, it would not be surprising to see Blackstenius play a pivotal role in guiding Arsenal to that stage, just as she did in Lisbon.
In summary, Arsenal’s women’s team enters this semi‑final with a blend of experience, confidence, and a hunger for repeat success. With Blackstenius leading the line, Russo providing a complementary goal threat, and the tactical acumen of Slegers and Smith behind them, the squad possesses all the ingredients needed to defend their title and possibly add another chapter to their growing legacy in European football.