How ‘calm’ Arsenal dethroned Women’s Champions League giants Barca
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Arsenal's players celebrate the victory over Barcelona in the Women's Champions League final.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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LISBON – Few gave Arsenal much chance of overthrowing Barcelona in the Women’s Champions League final on May 24, but the Gunners insisted it was possible and proved it in Lisbon with a gargantuan performance.
Stina Blackstenius’ second-half strike on the counter-attack was just reward for Arsenal’s superb display at the Jose Alvalade Stadium as they kept their heads in sweltering heat to win 1-0.
Leah Williamson excelled at the back and veteran Kim Little and former Barca midfielder Mariona Caldentey in particular helped shut down the Catalans’ star-studded engine room, featuring two-time Ballon d’Or winners Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas.
“It was fairly calm (in the dressing room) and that was one of the key things when you get to these big games,” explained Little, who joined the club a year after Arsenal’s only previous triumph, in 2007.
“(Renee Sleger’s team talks were) task-focused, about what we were executing... small details on how we can stop them and some details around set pieces.
“I think that showed in our performance that how we approached the game was very controlled, with little pointers of the belief that we have and the courage we wanted to show.”
Slegers was in Arsenal’s youth academy as a player in 2007 when they won the competition – back then the Uefa Women’s Cup – and said she had spoken to some important figures from that team, including coach Vic Akers and his assistant Emma Hayes, now manager of the United States’ women’s team.
The selfless Dutch coach highlighted the impact of several figures who have been helping the Arsenal women’s team to grow over the past 18 years since they last won the trophy.
“I was at the club in 2007 so I have a little bit of an idea of where the club comes from, and I had lunch with Vic Akers this week, and it was fantastic to see him bring the perspective,” she said.
“There’s so many people who have been investing for such a long time, I’m just a very small part of it... If you achieve something by yourself that’s great, but if you achieve something together that’s much greater.”
Former Chelsea coach Hayes’ side failed to get the better of Barcelona over two semi-final ties in 2023 and 2024, but did win one and draw one of the four matches.
They did a good job of shutting down Putellas, Bonmati and Patri Guijarro, and Sleger said that was similarly important in Lisbon.
“They are the conductors, the engine... it’s a really big challenge to stop them,” she explained, saying Arsenal’s other players chipped in to flood the midfield and help their own central trio.
“(I’m) super proud, because you can have all these ideas in your head, show videos, use your tactics board, do it in training.
“But, when the moment is actually there against an opponent that is so good, to then execute in the Champions League final, it says so much about the players.”
Slegers was appointed permanently only in January, after replacing Jonas Eidevall in October on an interim basis.
“Things weren’t going well. But, to pick us up as a team and get us to a Champions League final alone, never mind win it, it’s pretty incredible,” said Arsenal winger Beth Mead.
“It’s exciting, obviously, moving forward to see what we can do next season now with her.” AFP
