Earlier this month, a back-and-forth semifinal between European giants Inter Milan and FC Barcelona became a Champions League instant classic. A stoppage time goal from Inter’s Francesco Acerbi allowed his teammate Davide Frattessi to score the winner in extra-time to eliminate the Catalonians on a 7-6 aggregate scoreline.
The other semifinal was a different story. Luis Enrique’s new-look PSG dominated Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal across both legs. This was an impressive display from the Parisians, considering what Arsenal had done to the almighty Real Madrid in the previous round.
FC Barcelona and Arsenal’s men’s teams will need to wait another year, but their women’s teams played each other for Europe’s biggest prize this past Friday in sunny Lisbon.
While women’s club soccer is often overshadowed by international play, there was plenty of anticipation for Friday’s clash. Led by the world’s best footballer, Aitana Bonmatí, FC Barcelona Femení (Barca Femení) is a must-watch and a force to be reckoned with.
Making their fifth straight final appearance and looking for their third straight Champions League trophy, Barca Femení can make the argument to be one of the greatest women’s club soccer teams of all time. Their trio of Bonmatí, Alexia Putellas and Caroline Graham Hansen is unfair for opposing defenses.
In the other corner, Arsenal Women aren’t the same powerhouse as their opponents. They do possess superstars like Alessia Russo and ex-Barca Femení midfielder Mariona Caldentay, but they haven’t won their domestic league since the 2018-2019 season.
For this reason, it wasn’t surprising to see Arsenal Women play passively as the big underdog. Barca Femení dominated possession and the big scoring chances. Although it would be Arsenal Women who would make the first breakthrough, or so they thought.
Arsenal Women’s Frida Maanum put a low cross into the box for Russo. Marked by Irene Paredes, Paredes couldn’t allow Maanum’s cross to reach the feet of Russo. Paredes threw her body to intercept the pass, but scraped the ball with her toe and redirected the ball into her own net.
Fortunately for Barca Femení, the video assistant referee determined that Maanum was offside when she received the initial pass. Paredes sighed in relief as the 0-0 scoreline was preserved.
Barca Femení continued to pile on the pressure. Bonmatí had a trio of chances, including a backheel attempt that the keeper saved. That’s not to say Arsenal Women didn’t have their moments either.
They found success when Barca Femení made back passes to either the defenders or the goalkeeper. If the woman receiving the pass was slow to the ball, the Arsenal Women forwards were quick to pounce on it.
With the game still at a deadlock in the second half, Arsenal Women needed some fresh legs to keep up this style of play. In the 68th minute, Arsenal Women manager Reneé Slagers made a double change, bringing on forwards Beth Mead and Stina Blackstenius.
This change almost paid off instantly as Blackstenius almost scored on her first carry of the ball. A nice stepover opened up a shooting lane, but a strong save from goalkeeper Cata Coll denied her. However, Blackstenius would eventually strike just a few minutes later.
Off a set play on a corner kick, the pair of substitutes Mead and Blackstenius connected to give Arsenal Women the lead. Mead slipped a beautiful no-look pass to Blackstenius that had the defense scrambling. One-on-one with Coll for a second time, Blackstenius wouldn’t be denied once more.
Barca Femení appealed for another offside call, but this goal stood and gave Arsenal Women a 1-0 lead late in the final. Barca Femení looked for the equalizer yet never found it. As the final whistle blew, Arsenal Women were crowned champions of Europe for the first time since 2007.
After a decade of European domination from Barca Femení and OL Lyonnes, this result represents a turning point that should usher in a more competitive era of women’s club soccer.
