Arsenal’s men's team are still chasing their first-ever European crown. Their women’s side, however, are far ahead in that regard. They have already lifted the Champions League trophy twice, most recently last season.
Following their win over Chelsea, they now face Lyon once again in the semi-finals, just as they did a year ago.
Lyon remains one of the giants of women’s football, with a record eight Champions League titles to their name.
At times, it looked as though they might be on course for another final against Barcelona, the reigning champions back then, who had won the previous two editions and were chasing a hat-trick.
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Lyon took a 2-1 win at the Emirates in the first leg, heading into the return leg at home as favourites with a one-goal advantage. But Arsenal had already shown in their quarter-final against Real Madrid that overturning deficits, even quickly, is well within their capabilities.
And once again, they delivered. Within five minutes, the tie was level. By half-time, Arsenal were ahead - and they extended their lead further, sealing a remarkable comeback to reach the final for the first time in 18 years.
Blues for Blues
They were not expected to go much further. Awaiting them in Lisbon was a Barcelona side stacked with global superstars - a team that had swept every domestic trophy and dominated the previous two Champions League campaigns.
On their way to the final, they had dismantled Chelsea 8-2, ending the ambitions of a side that had heavily invested in the pursuit of European glory.
Lucy Bronze and Keira Walsh had both moved to Chelsea from Barcelona with the stated aim of winning the Champions League, as had their coach Sonia Bompastor. Instead, Chelsea were left watching on as Arsenal - their city rivals - stood between them and that dream.
Back in Lisbon, 2025, few gave Arsenal a chance. Their form heading into the final had been inconsistent, including defeats to lower-ranked teams in the league.
They had also had to fight their way through qualifying rounds, including overturning a tie against Sweden’s Hacken. Barcelona, by contrast, had been dominant and unbeaten, marching confidently toward what seemed like an inevitable third consecutive title.
But Arsenal had other plans. From the opening whistle, they looked the sharper side. Despite intense pressure, the score remained 0-0 at half-time - already a surprise.
The decisive moment came in the 74th minute, courtesy of two substitutes. Club legend Beth Mead, nearing a decade at Arsenal, delivered the pass, and Swedish striker Stina Blackstenius finished it, and that was enough.
Barcelona pushed late on, but Dutch goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar stood firm. At the final whistle, the Arsenal players erupted in disbelief and joy - champions of Europe for the first time in 18 years.
Blood thicker than my club
Among the many stories, one stood out above the rest. Vice-captain Leah Williamson, who has been part of the club since the age of nine, having come through the academy without ever wearing another shirt. As a child, she once walked out onto the pitch as a mascot, watching her heroes lift the trophy.
18 years later, she did it herself - this time as Player of the Match.
And then there was her father.
A lifelong Tottenham fan - Arsenal’s fiercest rivals - he had once said he would only ever wear an Arsenal shirt if his daughter played in a Champions League final. And so he did. The moment Williamson spotted him in the stands, wearing red, and applauded in disbelief, captured the emotion of it all.
Arsenal remain the only English club to have won the Women’s Champions League. Their men’s side are still waiting for that honour - but, like Bayern Munich, they remain unbeaten in this season’s competition and could still complete a historic double.
Whether that becomes reality will be decided in the semi-finals. The men’s final is set for May 30th in Budapest. The women’s final will take place earlier, on May 23rd in Oslo.
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