Latest news with #Sleger
Gulf Today
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Gulf Today
Arsenal stun Barcelona to clinch Women's Champions League title
Arsenal produced a shock 1-0 victory over Barcelona to win the Women's Champions League on Saturday in Lisbon, with Stina Blackstenius' goal earning the Gunners their second European crown against the odds. The Swedish striker's drilled effort in the 74th minute allowed Renee Slegers' team to dethrone a feted Barcelona side who had won the trophy three times in the previous four seasons. Arsenal, back in the final for the first time since lifting the trophy in 2007, outplayed Barca in the first half and staved them off in the second, before Blackstenius struck on the counter-attack. The only British Champions League winners showed their mettle in a superb victory over record eight-time winners Lyon in the semi-final and they stopped Pere Romeu's Barca from claiming the trophy for a third consecutive season. Spanish champions Barcelona probed in the opening stages under a fierce Lisbon sun, with Arsenal struggling to track two-time Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmati's darting movement. Arsenal coach Sleger brought Dutch compatriot Daphne van Domselaar back in goal and she scrambled away crosses to keep her team afloat early on. The Gunners struck midway through the first half when Irene Paredes tried to cut out a cross and diverted the ball into her own net, but it was disallowed for offside against Frida Maanum in the build-up. It rattled the normally composed Catalans and filled Sleger's team with belief. Maanum came close with a drive which Cata Coll tipped over the crossbar and veteran Scot Kim Little smashed high over the bar when a corner broke invitingly to her. At the back Leah Williamson was at her best for Arsenal, battling well with Polish striker Ewa Pajor and doing well to stifle her run as she surged into the box from the left. Arsenal kept Alexia Putellas, another Barcelona star with two Ballon d'or wins, silent, with Mariona Caldentey, formerly of the Catalan giants, superior in midfield. Agence France-Presse
New Straits Times
24-05-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Valiant Arsenal shock Barca to win women's Champions League
LISBON: Arsenal produced a shock 1-0 victory over Barcelona to win the women's Champions League on Saturday in Lisbon, with Stina Blackstenius' goal earning the Gunners their second European crown against the odds. The Swedish striker's drilled effort in the 74th minute allowed Renee Slegers' team to dethrone a feted Barcelona side who had won the trophy three times in the previous four seasons. Arsenal, back in the final for the first time since lifting the trophy in 2007, outplayed Barca in the first half and staved them off in the second, before Blackstenius struck on the counter-attack. The only British Champions League winners showed their mettle in a superb victory over record eight-time winners Lyon in the semi-final and they stopped Pere Romeu's Barca from claiming the trophy for a third consecutive season. "We worked so hard and it just feels amazing, just amazing," Arsenal striker Alessia Russo told TNT Sports. "It feels surreal. We did what we knew we could. "I believed since the moment our Champions League journey started we had the capability." Barcelona were left in disbelief by the outcome. "I can't believe it, but this is football," said Aitana Bonmati, Barca's best player at the Jose Avalade stadium. "I would like to congratulate Arsenal on their game, they carried out their plan and capitalised on their chances. "Personally, it hurts a lot, it's tough to take... (but) we will be back." Spanish champions Barcelona probed in the opening stages under a fierce Lisbon sun, with Arsenal struggling to track two-time Ballon d'Or winner Bonmati's darting movement. Arsenal coach Sleger, who revived their season after taking over in October, brought Dutch compatriot Daphne van Domselaar back in goal and she scrambled away crosses to keep her team afloat early on. The Gunners struck midway through the first half when Irene Paredes tried to cut out a cross and diverted the ball into her own net, but it was disallowed for offside against Frida Maanum in the build-up. It rattled the normally composed Catalans and filled Sleger's team with belief. Maanum came close with a drive which Cata Coll tipped over the crossbar and veteran Scot Kim Little smashed high over the bar when a corner broke invitingly to her. At the back Leah Williamson was at her best for Arsenal, battling well with Polish striker Ewa Pajor, who has now lost all five Champions League finals she has played. Arsenal kept Alexia Putellas, another Barcelona star with two Ballon d'or wins, silent, with Mariona Caldentey, formerly of the Catalan giants, superior in midfield. Romeu's side have faced criticism this season, lacking some of the shine of the team that won the quadruple last year, and their first half display against Arsenal was not one of a team that has dominated European football over the past few years. Barca came out with more purpose in the second half and a typically slick passing move ended up with the competition's top scorer Pina's deflected shot looping up against the crossbar with Van Domselaar frozen in place. Finally escaping the confines of their own half as Barca kicked on, Arsenal forged a golden chance to take the lead. Capitalising on some slack defending by Mapi Leon, substitute Blackstenius bundled her way through but Coll brilliantly blocked her low effort with her leg. Barcelona did not heed the warning and a few minutes later the English side took the lead. Beth Mead, another substitute, played a clever reverse pass to Swedish striker Blackstenius, who drilled through Batlle's legs into the bottom far corner with 15 minutes remaining. The expected Barcelona onslaught never came in the final stages and Arsenal, who defeated them in their first ever European match in 2012, completed a famous victory in the Catalans' 100th to claim the trophy. Like their men's team, Barcelona's women can complete a domestic treble if they win the Copa de la Reina in June, but several players were left in tears at the end and this surprise defeat will take time to recover from.
France 24
24-05-2025
- Sport
- France 24
How 'calm' Arsenal dethroned women's Champions League giants Barca
Stina Blackstenius' second-half strike on the counter-attack was just reward for Arsenal's superb display at the Jose Avalade stadium as they kept their heads in sweltering heat to win 1-0. Leah Williamson excelled at the back and veteran Kim Little and former Barca midfielder Mariona Caldentey in particular helped shut down the Catalans' star-studded engine room, featuring two-time Ballon d'Or winners Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas. Three-time winners Barca have produced spectacular comebacks in the past, including in the 2023 Champions League final triumph over Wolfsburg, but Arsenal did not waver in the final stages. "It was fairly calm (in the dressing room) and that was one of the key things when you get to these big games," explained Little, who joined the club a year after Arsenal's only previous triumph, in 2007. "(Sleger's team-talks were) task-focussed, about what we were executing... small details on how we can stop them and some details around set pieces. "I think that showed in our performance that how we approached the game was very controlled, with little pointers of the belief that we have and the courage we wanted to show." Slegers was in Arsenal's youth academy as a player in 2007 when they won the competition -- back then the UEFA Women's Cup -- and said she had spoken to some important figures from that team, including coach Vik Akers and his assistant Emma Hayes, now manager of the United States' women's team. The selfless Dutch coach highlighted the impact of several figures who have been helping the Arsenal women's team to grow over the past 18 years since they last won the trophy. "I was at the club in 2007 so I have a little bit of an idea of where the club comes from, and I had lunch with Vic Akers this week, and it was fantastic to see him bring the perspective. "There's so many people who have been investing for such a long time, I'm just a very small part of it... "If you achieve something by yourself that's great, but if you achieve something together that's much greater." Hayes call Former Chelsea coach Hayes' side failed to get the better of Barcelona over two semi-final ties in 2023 and 2024, but did win one and draw one of the four matches. "I was in the academy so (Hayes) was my head coach... it's special to have spent that year with those legends, I really look up to them," said Slegers. "Emma I spoke to during the week... it was a great conversation, I did speak about Barcelona as well, and I've spoken to other coaches as well, and got their experiences of playing against Barcelona." Hayes' Chelsea did a good job of shutting down Putellas, Bonmati and Patri Guijarro, and Sleger said that was important in Lisbon. "They are the conductors, the engine... it's a really big challenge to stop them," she explained, saying Arsenal's other players chipped in to flood the midfield and help their own central trio. Slegers also said the team's game management was the "key to why we won today", and hailed her squad for pulling off everything they had planned. "(I'm) super proud, because you can have all these ideas in your head, show videos, use your tactics board, do it in training, but when the moment is actually there against an opponent that is so good, to then execute in the Champions League final, it says so much about the players," she added. Slegers was only appointed permanently in January after replacing Jonas Eidevall in October on an interim basis. "Things weren't going well, but to pick us up as a team and get us to a Champions League final alone, never mind win it, it's pretty incredible," said Arsenal winger Beth Mead. "It's exciting, obviously, moving forward to see what we can do next season now with her." The 36-year-old also said her players were hungry for more and the future could be 'scary' -- in a good way. "I think there's even more in this team, that's the scary part of it, we achieved something enormous today but I think there's still more to give," said Slegers. © 2025 AFP
The Journal
24-05-2025
- Sport
- The Journal
Katie McCabe's Arsenal beat Barcelona for Champions League glory
The 42 ARSENAL PRODUCED A shock 1-0 victory over Barcelona to win the women's Champions League in Lisbon, with Stina Blackstenius' goal earning the Gunners their second European crown against the odds. The Swedish striker's drilled effort in the 74th minute allowed Renee Slegers' team to dethrone a feted Barcelona side who had won the trophy three times in the previous four seasons. Arsenal, back in the final for the first time since lifting the trophy in 2007, outplayed Barca in the first half and staved them off in the second, before Blackstenius struck on the counter-attack. Republic of Ireland captain Katie McCabe played the full 98 minutes for the Gunners as they overcame the odds for a famous victory that stopped Pere Romeu's Barca from claiming the trophy for a third consecutive season. Spanish champions Barcelona probed in the opening stages under a fierce Lisbon sun, with Arsenal struggling to track two-time Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmati's darting movement. Arsenal coach Sleger brought Dutch compatriot Daphne van Domselaar back in goal and she scrambled away crosses to keep her team afloat early on. The Gunners struck midway through the first half when Irene Paredes tried to cut out a cross and diverted the ball into her own net, but it was disallowed for offside against Frida Maanum in the build-up. It rattled the normally composed Catalans and filled Sleger's team with belief. Maanum came close with a drive which Cata Coll tipped over the crossbar and veteran Scot Kim Little smashed high over the bar when a corner broke invitingly to her. At the back Leah Williamson was at her best for Arsenal, battling well with Polish striker Ewa Pajor and doing well to stifle her run as she surged into the box from the left. Advertisement Arsenal kept Alexia Putellas, another Barcelona star with two Ballon d'or wins, silent, with Mariona Caldentey, formerly of the Catalan giants, superior in midfield. Romeu's side have faced criticism this season, lacking some of the shine of the team that won the quadruple last year, and their first half display against Arsenal was not one of a team that has dominated European football over the past few years. They came out with more purpose in the second half and a typically slick passing move ended up with the competition's top scorer Pina's deflected shot looping up against the crossbar with Van Domselaar frozen in place. Barca put 10 goals past Wolfsburg and then eight past Chelsea in the previous two rounds so it was no surprise they began to click going forward, with Ona Batlle firing narrowly wide. Van Domselaar denied Bonmati at the near post as Barcelona clicked into a higher gear, and Batlle whistled a strike narrowly over. Finally escaping the confines of their own half, Arsenal forged a golden chance to take the lead. Capitalising on some slack defending by Mapi Leon, substitute Blackstenius bundled her way through but Coll brilliantly blocked her low effort with her leg. Barcelona did not heed the warning and a few minutes later the English side took the lead. Beth Mead, another substitute, played a clever reverse pass to Swedish striker Blackstenius, who drilled through Batlle's legs into the bottom far corner with 15 minutes remaining. The expected Barcelona onslaught never came in the final stages and Arsenal, who defeated them in their first ever European match in 2012, completed a famous victory in the Catalans' 100th to claim the trophy. – © AFP 2025 Written by The 42 and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won't find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women's sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here .
The 42
24-05-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Katie McCabe's Arsenal beat Barcelona for Champions League glory
ARSENAL PRODUCED A shock 1-0 victory over Barcelona to win the women's Champions League in Lisbon, with Stina Blackstenius' goal earning the Gunners their second European crown against the odds. The Swedish striker's drilled effort in the 74th minute allowed Renee Slegers' team to dethrone a feted Barcelona side who had won the trophy three times in the previous four seasons. Arsenal, back in the final for the first time since lifting the trophy in 2007, outplayed Barca in the first half and staved them off in the second, before Blackstenius struck on the counter-attack. Republic of Ireland captain Katie McCabe played the full 98 minutes for the Gunners as they overcame the odds for a famous victory that stopped Pere Romeu's Barca from claiming the trophy for a third consecutive season. Spanish champions Barcelona probed in the opening stages under a fierce Lisbon sun, with Arsenal struggling to track two-time Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmati's darting movement. Arsenal coach Sleger brought Dutch compatriot Daphne van Domselaar back in goal and she scrambled away crosses to keep her team afloat early on. The Gunners struck midway through the first half when Irene Paredes tried to cut out a cross and diverted the ball into her own net, but it was disallowed for offside against Frida Maanum in the build-up. It rattled the normally composed Catalans and filled Sleger's team with belief. Maanum came close with a drive which Cata Coll tipped over the crossbar and veteran Scot Kim Little smashed high over the bar when a corner broke invitingly to her. At the back Leah Williamson was at her best for Arsenal, battling well with Polish striker Ewa Pajor and doing well to stifle her run as she surged into the box from the left. Advertisement Arsenal kept Alexia Putellas, another Barcelona star with two Ballon d'or wins, silent, with Mariona Caldentey, formerly of the Catalan giants, superior in midfield. Romeu's side have faced criticism this season, lacking some of the shine of the team that won the quadruple last year, and their first half display against Arsenal was not one of a team that has dominated European football over the past few years. They came out with more purpose in the second half and a typically slick passing move ended up with the competition's top scorer Pina's deflected shot looping up against the crossbar with Van Domselaar frozen in place. Barca put 10 goals past Wolfsburg and then eight past Chelsea in the previous two rounds so it was no surprise they began to click going forward, with Ona Batlle firing narrowly wide. Van Domselaar denied Bonmati at the near post as Barcelona clicked into a higher gear, and Batlle whistled a strike narrowly over. Finally escaping the confines of their own half, Arsenal forged a golden chance to take the lead. Capitalising on some slack defending by Mapi Leon, substitute Blackstenius bundled her way through but Coll brilliantly blocked her low effort with her leg. Barcelona did not heed the warning and a few minutes later the English side took the lead. Beth Mead, another substitute, played a clever reverse pass to Swedish striker Blackstenius, who drilled through Batlle's legs into the bottom far corner with 15 minutes remaining. The expected Barcelona onslaught never came in the final stages and Arsenal, who defeated them in their first ever European match in 2012, completed a famous victory in the Catalans' 100th to claim the trophy. – © AFP 2025
