Football | Arsenal v Barcelona preview
Arsenal and Barcelona meet in the final of the 2025 UEFA Women’s Champions League Lisbon’s Estádio José Alvalade playing host to a fixture that pits Europe’s reigning giants against one of its most compelling comeback stories. Author - Lauren W As expected, Barcelona return to defend their crown. The Spanish champions, winners on three previous occasions, are now seasoned contenders on this stage. Their opponents, however, are a rather more unexpected presence. Arsenal are appearing in the final for the first time in 18 years, having failed to progress beyond the first round of qualifying only a year ago. It is a classic contest between the perennial powerhouse and the resurgent underdogs. Arsenal have shown extraordinary resilience to reach this point, coming from behind in both the quarter-final and semi-final to underline the grit and belief behind their remarkable run. Barcelona, in contrast, have marched through with clinical precision, dispatching Chelsea 8–2 on aggregat...