Arsenal defeated Barcelona 1-0 to win the UEFA Women's Champions League final in Lisbon with a goal from Stina Blackstenius seven minutes after she came off the bench.
Barcelona, aiming for a third straight title as they featured in the final for the fifth year in a row, had the majority of the play and the chances. But they could not force a breakthrough and with 16 minutes left Beth Mead set up fellow substitute Blackstenius for the goal that sealed victory 18 years on from Arsenal's only previous final, when they won the old UEFA Women's Cup by beating Umeå by the same 1-0 scoreline on aggregate.
Key moments
27' Maanum forces Cata Coll save
49' Pina loops ball on to crossbar
74' Sub Blackstenius strikes for Arsenal
Match in brief: Substitutes provide late twist
Arsenal were boosted by goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar being fit having not appeared since the semi-final second-leg win at Lyon on 27 April, while Chloe Kelly started on the right with Beth Mead on the bench. They looked to start brightly and had the better of the opening ten minutes but the first real chance fell to Aitana Bonmatí, whose effort was blocked.
However, Arsenal continued to think positively and Frida Maanum let fly from distance, forcing a fingertip save from Cata Coll; Kim Little blazed over following the resultant corner. Aitana was denied by Van Domselaar after a solo run, and Leah Williamson did well to block from ten-goal competition top scorer Clàudia Pina, starting today having come off the bench for Barcelona in the previous three finals.
The match as it happened
Having dominated the later stages of the first half, Barcelona kept that up after the interval with Pina testing Van Domselaar from distance before combining with Aitana and looping the ball via a deflection off Emily Fox on to the top of the crossbar. Alexia Putellas then played into the path of Ona Batlle, who was only just off target from outside the box.
The pressure continued as again Van Domselaar saved from Aitana. Arsenal brought on Mead and Blackstenius, and they almost struck against the run of play as the Swedish forward won the ball in midfield and broke free, but could not beat Coll. Straight up the other end, Ewa Pajor put a header off target.
Stina Blackstenius celebrates her UEFA Women's Champions League final winner for Arsenal
Stina Blackstenius celebrates her UEFA Women's Champions League final winner for ArsenalGetty Images
However, the changes and the Blackstenius chance gave Arsenal confidence, and with 16 minutes to go they won a corner. That was delivered by former Barcelona stalwart Mariona Caldentey; the ball was only half-cleared and Mead played back in for Blackstenius to apply a cool finish.
Barcelona pressed for an equaliser and an Aitana shot was deflected wide. But Arsenal were able to keep Barcelona at bay to inherit their crown as European champions.
Visa Player of the Match: Stina Blackstenius (Arsenal)
Stina Blackstenius with her trophy
Stina Blackstenius with her trophyUEFA via Getty Images
"Had two chances before the goal with her runs in behind, stretching the game more. Then came the goal showing her match-winning influence; Mead's assist also shows the impact of substitutions for Arsenal in changing the game."
UEFA Technical Observer pane l
Faye Hackwell, Arsenal reporter
An 18-year wait for a European trophy finally comes to an end, as Arsenal wrap up a campaign of twists and turns with a momentous victory. There have been so many occasions this season when they could have exited the competition, but they always hit back and today they fought with their hearts on their sleeves. There's a special togetherness in this squad and they channelled their hunger into collective determination and discipline to overcome a great Barcelona side, with a winner from perennial supersub Blackstenius.
Graham Hunter, Barcelona reporter
They arrived with über-confidence, were heavily favoured, kept trying to compete with Arsenal but, ultimately, this was a final where the reigning champions Barcelona were both outplayed and outcompeted.
Stina Blackstenius strikes the winner in the Women's Champions League final for Arsenal
Stina Blackstenius strikes the winner in the Women's Champions League final for ArsenalAFP via Getty Images
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Key stats
Arsenal won their second title 18 years on from their only previous final; a record gap between first and second titles and finals.
Arsenal were the first team to reach the final from round 1 of this format and their campaign involved an unprecedented 15 matches.
Katie McCabe started all 15 matches and her 1,297 minutes is the most ever by a player in a single UEFA women's club season. Blackstenius, Mariona, Caitlin Foord, Maanum and Alessia Russo also appeared in all 15 Arsenal games.
Barcelona played their 100th game in the competition, the fourth team to reach the mark after Lyon, Arsenal and Wolfsburg. Their first two matches were also losses against Arsenal in the 2012/13 round of 32 (Alexia and Little involved then too).
Barcelona equalled Lyon's record by playing in a fifth consecutive final.
Aitana and Alexia kept up their record of appearing in all six of Barcelona's finals. The only other player to appear for Barcelona in their first five was Mariona, who moved to Arsenal last summer.
Barcelona ended the campaign with 44 goals, one off Wolfsburg's record from 2013/14.
2025/26: Revamped format, new competition
Line-ups
Arsenal: Van Domselaar; Fox, Williamson, Catley, McCabe; Mariona, Maanum (Blackstenius 67), Little; Foord (Hurtig 86), Russo (Wubben-Moy 90+1), Kelly (Mead 67)
Barcelona: Cata Coll; Batlle, Paredes, Mapi León (Engen 78), Rolfö (Brugts 78); Aitana Bonmatí, Patri Guijarro, Alexia Putellas; Graham Hansen, Pajor, Pina (Paralluelo 62)
The pre-match scene in Lisbon
The pre-match scene in LisbonUEFA via Getty Images
Roll of honour: Finals
UEFA Women's Champions League:
2025 (Lisbon): Arsenal 1-0 Barcelona
2024 (Bilbao): Barcelona 2-0 Lyon
2023 (Eindhoven): Barcelona 3-2 Wolfsburg
2022 (Turin): Lyon 3-1 Barcelona
2021 (Gothenburg): Barcelona 4-0 Chelsea
2020 (San Sebastián): Lyon 3-1 Wolfsburg
2019 (Budapest): Lyon 4-1 Barcelona
2018 (Kyiv): Lyon 4-1aet Wolfsburg
2017 (Cardiff): Lyon 0-0aet, 7-6pens Paris Saint-Germain
2016 (Reggio Emilia): Lyon 1-1aet, 4-3pens Wolfsburg
2015 (Berlin): Frankfurt 2-1 Paris Saint-Germain
2014 (Lisbon): Wolfsburg 4-3 Tyresö
2013 (London): Wolfsburg 1-0 Lyon
2012 (Munich): Lyon 2-0 FFC Frankfurt
2011 (London): Lyon 2-0 Turbine Potsdam
2010 (Madrid): Turbine Potsdam 0-0aet, 7-6pens Lyon
UEFA Women's Cup:
Two-legged finals2009: Duisburg 6-0/1-1: agg 7-1 Zvezda-2005
2008: Frankfurt 1-1/3-2: agg 4-3 Umeå
2007: Arsenal 1-0/0-0: agg 1-0 Umeå
2006: Frankfurt 4-0/3-2: agg 7-2 Turbine Potsdam
2005: Turbine Potsdam 2-0/3-1: agg 5-1 Djurgården
2004: Umeå 3-0/5-0: agg 8-0 Frankfurt
2003: Umeå 4-1/3-0: agg 7-1 Fortuna Hjørring
One-off final
2002 (Frankfurt): Frankfurt 2-0 Umeå