LONDON — It has been a painfully long 18-year journey for Arsenal to return to the Women’s Champions League final. The last time they made it was 2006-07 season, when the tournament was still called the UEFA Women’s Cup, and the squad consisted of players like Anita Asante, Alex Scott, Jayne Ludlow, Karen Carney, Julie Fleeting and Kelly Smith.
Arsenal won the quadruple that year, becoming the first and only English side to win the continental competition, and had legendary Chelsea manager Emma Hayes working as an assistant under Vic Akers. But while other trophies have come along since, the Champions League has always eluded them as Barcelona and Lyon have won the last nine titles between them.
This year, the Gunners have a chance to put that right as they face Barcelona in Saturday’s final, having defeated eight-time champions Lyon in the semis. They have played the most games in the tournament — having faced two rounds of qualifiers before group stage began — and are the very definition of underdogs. But there is a buzz around the Sobha Realty Training Centre and an air of excitement in the week-long buildup to the biggest game in many of the players’ careers.
“[I’m] very excited. I feel like now, the week leading in, it’s starting to feel just more like a reality,” USWNT defender Emily Fox tells ESPN. “At the same time, nothing has changed in the sense that we’re at Arsenal training another week. But with it being a final, it’s really exciting.”
The players had a rare two-week break between their last Women’s Super League (WSL) game against Manchester United on May 10 and the Champions League final in Lisbon on Saturday. They’ve had some time to rest after a long season, but are back into the full swing of things: training, mental preparation, and grilling former Barcelona players Mariona Caldentey and Laia Codina about how to come out victorious against a side looking to claim their fourth UWCL title in five years.
Last season, after failing to beat Paris FC on penalties in the first round of qualifiers, Arsenal had to watch from the sidelines. But that disappointment formed the basis for this campaign and vice-captain Leah Williamson told ESPN that it lit a fire in them, fueling their determination to come back stronger.
However, Arsenal’s run to the final hasn’t been smooth. While they comfortably navigated two rounds of qualifiers, their first group stage match ended in a 5-2 defeat to Bayern Munich. That loss, followed by a 2-1 loss to Chelsea in the WSL, marked a turning point which ultimately led to the resignation of manager Jonas Eidevall. But his former assistant, Renee Slegers, stepped in as interim coach — eventually being appointed full time in January — and led the side to five-straight wins to top Group C, setting up a quarterfinal clash with Real Madrid.
Even then, the first leg didn’t go to plan, ending in a 2-0 loss. But what followed was a display of sheer grit and transformation. With tactical adjustments, sharper positioning, and clinical execution, Arsenal scored three goals in 13 second-half minutes to produce a stunning 3-0 comeback in the second leg.
“I think obviously [there was] frustration in ourselves, in terms of playing better, eliminating their chances, and losing,” Fox says. “The first initial reactions were that we wanted to get back out there and play again … But having that opportunity of a second leg and to leave it all out there, I think that’s one of our strengths. I think we’ve had a few moments in the year when we’ve proven that we can come back.
“We know we’ve done it before; we have experience and proof that we’ve been in tough situations and been able to turn around. But every opponent is different. We take the learnings and the positives but also know that with each opponent we face it’s doing to be different and we can’t expect anything.”
That ability to overcome setbacks would prove vital again in Arsenal’s next challenge against eight-time European champions Lyon — widely considered the best team in the world over the past decade. The French side struck first, capitalizing on Arsenal’s disjointed press and lack of attacking threat, and though the Gunners managed to level the scores late in the second half through a penalty, Melchie Dumornay struck with eight minutes left to seal a 2-1 win and leave the tie in the away side’s favor.
2:03
Fox: We’re ready for Barcelona in UWCL final
Arsenal’s Emily Fox says her team will “lean on experience” when they face Barcelona in the Champions League final.
Knowing they needed to get a win in France, many teams would have crumbled, but this Arsenal side are made of sterner stuff. And, at the Groupama Stadium, a remarkable, ruthless and almost-perfect display ended in a 4-1 win after arguably their best performance of the season.
“It was definitely one of the best moments I’ve had so far at Arsenal,” Fox says. “We’ve had really big highs, and we’ve also had some lows. And so, in that sense, we took the learnings and the positives from it, but we know next season we can be so much better and achieve more than we did this year for sure.
“I think it’s just exciting and a part of football that you can always get better. There’s always more to do and reflect and grow. “
But Arsenal will need all that and more to beat Barcelona. A few days before the team travel to Lisbon, the mood at the training ground was a mix of confidence, excitement and quiet belief. Some players spoke openly about their confidence that they can beat the reigning champions; others embraced the club’s underdog role, saying they have nothing to lose, so plan to go all in.
For Fox, it’s the same blend of determination and belief she’s used all season to get her through. But she’s also allowed herself a moment to imagine — just a little — what it might feel like to lift that European trophy.
“I have dreamed a little bit,” she says. “I think for me, it’s very much a day-by-day process. It’s 90 minutes. But yeah, I have dreamed about it. We’ll have to see.”
