ARSENAL look to deny Barcelona a Women’s Champions League treble in Lisbon.
Renee Slegers is aiming to win the competition for the second time in the Gunners’ history, with the first title coming in 2006/07.
Alessia Russo’s goal was enough to see Arsenal see off eight-time winners Lyon in their semi-final this season.
Barcelona are back-to-back defending champions, and dispatched of treble winners Chelsea 8-2 on aggregate in the semi-final.
- Start time: 5pm BST
- TV channel: TNT Sports 1
- Arsenal XI: Van Domselaar, Fox, Williamson, Catley, Mariona, Little, McCabe, Maanum, Foord, Kelly, Russo.
- Barcelona XI: Cata Coll, Batlle, Paredes, Maria Leon, Rolfo, Patri, Aitana, Alexia, Pina, Graham, Pajor.
Follow our live blog below…
Arsenal 0-0 Barcelona
Frida Maanum battled in vain, trying to win a corner for Arsenal.
They’ve been competing well and we’ve already seen a couple of feisty exchanges in the corners.
We’re off – Arsenal 0-0 Barcelona 0
The Gunners are pressing high, but we’ve yet to have any action in or around the penalty area.
We’re off – Arsenal 0-0 Barcelona 0
The Gunners are pressing high, but we’ve yet to have any action in or around the penalty area.
We’re off – Arsenal 0-0 Barcelona 0
A tentative start so far, with Barcelona predictably happy to pass the ball out from the back.
But Russo had an early glimmer of hope when she pounced on a slack pass, albeit failing to make much ground.
We’re off – Arsenal 0-0 Barcelona 0
Today’s teams
Arsenal: Van Domselaar, Fox, Williamson, Catley, McCabe, Little, Maanum, Caldentey, Kelly, Russo, Foord.
Subs: Zinsberger, Williams, Wubben-Moy, Codina, Mead, Walti, Hurtig, Pelova, Nighswonger, Blackstenius, Ilestedt, Cooney-Cross.
Barcelona: Coll, Batlle, Paredes, Leon, Rolfo, Bonmati, Patri, Putellas, Graham Hansen, Pajor, Pina.
Subs: Gemma, Roebuck, Jana, Paralluelo, Marta, Vicky, Engen, Brugts, Cano, Schertenleib, Serrajordi, Judit.
Slegers says Gunners are used to nerves
Manager Renee Slegers is sure Arsenal won’t be fazed by the occasion.
She told TNT Sports: “We’ve played high pressure games with this team this season, we all have that in our luggage.
“We’ve got players that have played in finals, the Champions League final, the Euros so they play high pressure games often but this is going to be one of the biggest ones for them.
“What we’ve said is ‘enjoy the occasion’ because we have to feel happiness about it that we took ourselves here so that will be partly in the warm-up for example, taking it all in.
“When the whistle goes it’s a game of football and we have to focus on the task.” on a high level as well so we’re happy we got a couple of extra days.”
Here we go!
Just a couple of minutes until kick-off in Lisbon, we can’t wait for this one!
Catalonia to north London
Speaking about Mariona Caldentey, the forward, who won her 15th major medal with Barcelona, was seen kissing the Women’s Champions League trophy a year ago while wearing the blue and red stripes of the club and holding the logo on her chest.
Caldentey played ten seasons at the home of the reigning European champions, scoring 114 goals in 302 appearances, despite not having gone through Barcelona’s junior system.
After starting the season as the struggling club, Arsenal stormed up the table, securing second place in the WSL and contending with the best in Europe.
Caldentey has served as the creative, force of ingenuity alongside Alessia Russo, the WSL Golden Boot winner, and added dynamism to the midfield.
She is now getting ready to play against her old side for the first time since she left them to sign with Arsenal in the summer.
Top scorer chase
The Champions League trophy won’t be the only coveted title on the line…
Clàudia Pina has led the hotly-contested scoreboard, whilst her opponents for today in Alessia Russo and Mariona Caldentey.
Pina, who has come of age this season, has already surpassed the tally set in the last two editions.
- Pina – 10 goals
- Russo – 7 goals
- Caldentey – 7 goals
‘This is where we want to be’
Arsenal striker Alessia Russo on if Arsenal are back where they should be: “100 per cent
“Any player that plays for Arsenal understands it is a winning club that is so ambitious and wants to be at the top competing with the best.
“This is where we want the club to be and we will keep pushing as players. We are very aware of what has come before us as well.
“Kim [Little] has played for the club for so long and she deserves to be here.
“We had lunch with some of the 2007 winners to understand what it means to them and that is really special for us.”
Captain’s log
Midfielder Alexia Putellas says Barcelona’s previous Champions League titles guarantee nothing heading into another final: “You tend to forget what the team has achieved and what you have done as a player to continue with future ambitions.
“We don’t really analyse or look at what we’ve done much. Despite having three Champions Leagues, it doesn’t mean we will win tomorrow.
“It doesn’t matter how many finals. It is true, we know what we have done, but it means nothing on your day-to-day work.
“You always want to go to the next level and to the next goal. The next goal is tomorrow’s final.
“We will try to prepare it in the best possible way and do our best. We hope it ends with a title.”
‘Not easy’
Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati on Barca heading into the final as favourites: “It is good that we have been given the favourites label but we know how important this is.
“Although it’s a new rival that has not been in the final for years, it is not an easy match.
“We still need to win the game and anybody can win.”
Three in a row?
We’ve touched on it just there; history-in-wait is on the line for both…
Barcelona can solidify their reputation and increase their power in Europe.
They are attempting to become only the second side to win the title three years in a row as they compete in their sixth Champions League final overall and their fifth consecutive one.
However, this is only Arsenal’s second Champions League final appearance. Since the Gunners won the trophy in their inaugural final in 2007, no English team has taken home the trophy. Is it possible for them to win both games?
Team news is in!
Arsenal: Van Domselaar, Fox, Williamson, Catley, Mariona, Little (C), McCabe, Maanum, Foord, Kelly, Russo.
Barcelona: Cata Coll, Batlle, Paredes, Maria Leon, Rolfo, Patri, Aitana, Alexia, Pina, Graham, Pajor.
Lisbon lights
Afternoon and welcome to the SunSport’s live blog of the women’s Champions League final!
We’ve got a tasty encounter between two of the best-supported clubs in women’s European football.
Barcelona take up the roles of resounding favourites. The Femeni have won this competition three times in the last four years and continue to set the gold standard.
They have scored 196 goals, won 43 of 46 games in all competitions, and averaged more than four goals per game this season.
In more instances than they have scored fewer than three goals (11), they have scored six or more goals (13).
As for underdogs Arsenal, they’ve relished in the responsibility of spoiling the set norm.
The Gunners are the only side in the history of the competition to go to the final after competing in the first qualifying round – securing top spot over Bayern Munich in the group before toppling Real Madrid and Lyon.
Renée Slegers has overseen the North Londoners’ second-half-of-season form with a clear understanding and delicate touch that has produced wonder to make the first final featuring an English side since Chelsea in 2020-21 – she’ll need that and more to produce another magic act.
Kick-off at the sold-out Estádio José Alvalade, 5pm GMT.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
