The 2025 UEFA Women's Champions League final is set: Arsenal will face Barcelona, who are aiming for a fourth title in five years, at the Estdio Jos Alvalade in Lisbon, Portugal, on Saturday.
As expected, Barcelona -- reigning champions and three-time winners -- return to defend their crown. The real surprise, however, is their opponent, Arsenal, who have reached this stage for the first time in 18 years. Remarkably, they didn't even make it past the first round of qualifiers last season.
It's the ultimate underdog vs. powerhouse showdown. The Gunners have shown incredible resilience, coming from behind in both their quarterfinal and semifinal ties to demonstrate the grit and belief fueling their historic run. Meanwhile, Barcelona reaffirmed their dominance, dismantling Chelsea 8-2 on aggregate in their semifinal to remind everyone why they remain Europe's gold standard.
Both clubs boast passionate travelling fan bases, and a packed 50,000-seater stadium is expected to be rocking as fans turn out in full force for this historic final. Barcelona are huge favorites, and the Catalan side dominated the Gunners (4-0 and 4-1) in their last meeting during the group stage of the 2021-22 competition.
So what's in store this weekend? Here's a preview of the top women's club match in European football.
What state are Arsenal in going into the match?
After securing a place in the Champions League final, Arsenal's final three Women's Super League matches fell short of expectations. With first-choice goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar out injured, a 5-2 defeat to Aston Villa handed Chelsea their sixth consecutive league title, and that was followed by a 4-2 loss to Brighton, before they narrowly edged Manchester United 4-3 on the final day to claim second spot.
Before those three games, Arsenal's defense had conceded 13 goals. In them, they conceded 13 goals. And fans might have worried that backup goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger would struggle to stop a clinical Barcelona side that dismantled Chelsea 4-1 twice with ease. However, Van Domselaar is expected to return and a two-week break has allowed the Gunners' squad to rest and prepare ahead of their mammoth task.
Barcelona may have the stronger squad on paper, but Arsenal have built their run on resilience. To stand a chance, they must be defensively flawless and capitalize on counterattacks to catch Barcelona off guard. Their confidence is high and, with nothing to lose, they are in the ideal mindset to pull off a shock. -- EK
What state are Barcelona in going into the match?
Bara have answered any doubts about their hunger to stay at the top in a resounding manner at the back end of the season. Defeats to Manchester City, Levante and Real Madrid had raised questions about their progress under coach Pere Romeu, who replaced Jonatan Girldez last summer. However, thumping victories in the Champions League against Wolfsburg and Chelsea, coupled with a sixth-successive Liga F title, have shown they are still the team to beat in Europe.
They are in particularly frightening form in attack. So many players contribute in the final third that it is not a case of stopping the supply to one player, because there are so many capable of scoring. Top scorer Ewa Pajor has netted 10 times in her last seven appearances, while Cludia Pina, the top scorer in the Champions League, has eight in six. Goals also arrive from midfield. Alexia Putellas, with four in four, is getting close to her pre-injury best, while Aitana Bonmat, with six in eight, is also a regular on the scoresheet.
Since losing to Madrid in March, Bara have recorded 10 straight wins, scoring 48 goals and conceding just four. That run has included netting six against Wolfsburg and four against Chelsea twice. They have won two trophies already this season [Liga F and the Supercopa de Espaa Femenina] and are now eyeing two more -- they also have the Copa de la Reina final to come -- to make it a second successive Quadruple. -- SM
What can we expect from each rookie coach?
Few could have predicted that after Jonas Eidevall's departure following a 5-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in their group-stage opener in mid-October, his assistant-turned-successor, Rene Slegers, would guide the team all the way to the final. Yet it was in those early, turbulent weeks, when morale was at its lowest, that crucial bonds were formed.
At just 36, Slegers has quickly proved herself to be a sharp tactical mind. She inherited a talented squad that needed only subtle adjustments and has united the players and staff under her clear vision. Her premature retirement from playing due to injury is one of the fires that drives her, and that unfinished business now fuels a potential Champions League triumph against all odds. -- EK
Romeu shares the minutes around in Liga F, but his team selection has been fairly predictable in big games. The midfield trio of Patrick Guijarro, Bonmat and Putellas has been re-established since Keira Walsh's return to England to join Chelsea, and those three give Bara control.
The main questions focus on the left-hand side. Fridolina Rlfo and Esmee Brugts have shared the left-back slot, with Salma Paralluelo and Pina the options to complete the front line alongside Pajor and Caroline Graham Hansen. Whatever Romeu goes, Bara will not be too different to the sides which won this trophy under Llus Corts and Girldez. -- SM
Arsenal player to watch: Kim Little
The obvious choice is former Barcelona player Mariona Caldentey, who has been a valuable source of insight for her teammates, offering advice on how to face the reigning champions and reflecting on the difference in the Catalan club's first final, the 4-1 loss to Lyon in 2019, compared to their later triumphs.
Yet the true heartbeat of this Arsenal side is captain Little. Long under-rated, her tireless work rate, composure, and quiet leadership have been central to the team's success. She's the glue that holds Arsenal together in the toughest moments and her influence in the midfield, arguably where this game will be won or lost, will be absolutely crucial.
Having joined just two years after Arsenal's 2006 UEFA Women's Cup triumph, Little played alongside legends the squad now look to emulate. She understands the magnitude of the moment better than most and will give everything to help write a new chapter in the club's history. -- EK
Barcelona player to watch: Aitana Bonmati
Bara's team is packed with match winners but, when finals come around, it's hard to overlook Bonmat. The Spain midfielder so often delivers in the big matches. The back-to-back Ballon d'Or winner won the Golden Ball at the 2023 World Cup and has been named Player of the Match in two Champions League finals, including last year's win over Lyon. She can do it all: dictate the rhythm of the game, play a killer pass, beat an opponent and score goals. If she turns it on this weekend, it will be extremely tough for Arsenal. -- SM
Predictions
Barcelona 2-1 Arsenal. As much as we all love a classic underdog story, Barcelona's sheer quality, experience and depth make them an overwhelming force. Their squad is stacked with world-class talent and players who have tasted success at the highest level. While it would be a remarkable achievement if Arsenal were to defy the odds and make history, realistically the task ahead feels a step too far. -- EK
Barcelona 2-0 Arsenal. It felt like this might be the year when Chelsea or Lyon beat Bara, but with the Blues dispatched and Lyon eliminated by Arsenal, it's hard to bet against them now. The Blaugrana will be wary of the Gunners given their performance against eight-time winners Lyon in the semifinal, but they should have too much experience and quality. -- SM
