Olivia Pagden
May 22, 2025, 08:38 PM
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In a season defined by unwavering belief and miraculous comebacks, Arsenal have defied expectations to secure a place in their first European final for 18 years.
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No team has taken a longer -- or more tumultuous -- path to the final before, with the Gunners' journey starting way back in the first-round qualifiers. Dramatic comebacks, devastating losses and a new manager has defined their Champions League campaign this season.
As Arsenal prepare for their biggest match of the modern era against reigning champions Barcelona, take a look back at their journey to Lisbon.
First-round qualifiers
Arsenal 6-0 Rangers
Arsenal kicked-off their Champions League campaign in the qualifiers with a 6-0 rout of Scottish side Rangers and no player shone more than Caitlin Foord, who found the back of the net four times. Alessia Russo and Kim Little also scored to get the team's Champions League journey off to the perfect start.
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Arsenal 1-0 Rosenborg
The second match of the first round delivered a much less impressive result, with Frida Maanum the difference maker against Norwegian side Rosenborg. Her 19th-minute strike booked the north London side a place in the second round of qualifiers, where fellow Women's Super League (WSL) team Manchester City began their campaign.
Photo by Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Second-round qualifiers
BK Häcken 1-0 Arsenal
The second qualifying round saw Arsenal head to Sweden to face BK Häcken for the first game of their two-legged tie. The demanding tie saw Häcken, who entered the competition at this stage, come away with the win, leaving the Gunners' Champions League dreams on a knife-edge.
Photo by Michael Campanella/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Arsenal 4-0 BK Häcken
A week later, Arsenal faced the Swedish side at home and overturned the deficit with a 4-0 win. The Gunners booked themselves a place in the tournament group stage and successfully completed their first comeback of the tournament -- an accolade that would eventually become synonymous with the resilient side.
Photo by Alex Burstow/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Group stage
Bayern Munich 5-2 Arsenal
The group stages got off to a far-from-perfect start for Arsenal as they fell to a 5-2 defeat away to Bayern Munich, with Pernille Harder netting a 13-minute hat trick in the second half to send the German giants to the top of the group. The loss sparked a change in the Arsenal dressing room with manager Jonas Eidevall being sacked five days later following a home loss to Chelsea in the WSL.
Photo by Sebastian Widmann - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images
Arsenal 4-1 Valerenga
With a new-found confidence under interim boss Renée Slegers -- who would go on to sign a permanent deal with the club in January -- Arsenal bagged their first win of the group stage against Valerenga. Emily Fox scored her first goal for Arsenal just 70 seconds into the match.
Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP
Juventus 0-4 Arsenal
Arsenal's remaining group-stage opponents were Italian champions Juventus and the Gunners clinched an emphatic victory away from home.
Photo by Alex Burstow/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Arsenal 1-0 Juventus
Lina Hurtig's 89th-minute winner at the Emirates against Juventus secured a top-two spot for the Gunners, simultaneously knocking the visitors out of the competition.
Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Valerenega 1-3 Arsenal
With Slegers still at the helm on an interim basis, Arsenal seemed to have turned a corner in their performances, with few excelling more than Russo.
In the second tie against Valerenga in the group stage, the England international scored a brace to mark Arsenal's sixth straight win in all competitions.
Photo by Marius Simensen - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images
Arsenal 3-2 Bayern Munich
On a rainy night in Borehamwood, Arsenal rewrote the narrative from their reverse fixture and beat Bayern Munich to top the group. The Gunners were gifted with a trip to Spain to face Liga F runners-up Real Madrid in the knockout stages.
Mariona Caldentey and Alessia Russo John Walton/PA Images via Getty Images
Quarterfinal
Real Madrid 2-0 Arsenal
The knockout phase began with a real test for the Gunners. Arsenal played on a much-criticised pitch in Madrid where Slegers' team were outperformed as they failed to find the back of the net.
Photo by Florencia Tan Jun - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images
Arsenal 3-0 Real Madrid
Arsenal produced their first miraculous comeback of the campaign in a season-defining win over Madrid in the quarterfinal second leg.
Russo scored a brace and Caldentedy added to the tally in a historic night at the Emirates. Man City loanee Chloe Kelly shone in the tie, providing two assists in her first Champions League home game since her return to north London.
Photo by Alex Burstow/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Semifinal
Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
In the semifinal, Arsenal faced their toughest opponent yet in French powerhouse and eighth-time champions of the competition, Lyon.
The home side fell just short against Lyon's formidable front three in a physical battle between the two teams. Caldentey converted from the penalty spot but Arsenal were level for just four minutes before Lyon -- managed by former Arsenal coach Joe Montemurro -- sealed the win in the first leg.
Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Lyon 1-4 Arsenal
With Arsenal in need of yet another comeback, the fans travelled in their numbers, dreaming of reaching their first European final in 18 years -- this game recorded Arsenal's largest number of travelling fans for a European game in history.
After some defensive errors from Lyon, Arsenal put four past the French champions to book their spot in the final with a 5-3 win on aggregate.
Photo by Alex Burstow/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Final
Arsenal vs. Barcelona
The north London club are one step away from immortality. If they can find a way to overcome Aitana Bonmatí and Co., Slegers' side will be etched into Arsenal folklore.
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