MIRACLE ON PINK STREET: aka Arsenal 1 – Barcelona 0

Our oral history of the 2025 Champions League final in Lisbon, in the words of Alessia Russo, Renée Slegers, Chloe Kelly, Leah Williamson, Taylor Hinds, Olivia Smith, OG Gill Sayell, and match commentator Emma Jones.

Plus the first-hand accounts of writers – and fans – Nicole Lockwood-West, Danny Milwain, Laura Howard, Nancy Baker, Annie Carmen, and of course, Tim Stillman, who are all still pinching themselves.

How did the day pan out? How did they collectively survive the 28°C heat and 37% humidity? Did it really happen? Let’s press rewind.

Alessia Russo:

I remember actually the whole day feeling really calm. I don’t know, I feel like in football sometimes you get feelings and… I think you don’t want to say it until the game’s over, but once the game’s over, everyone’s like: “I had a feeling about today.”

Whether it’s true or not I don’t know. But I definitely did have a feeling.

Tim Stillman, journalist, Arseblog News:

On the day of the final, unusually I didn’t feel that nervous because I felt we were such massive underdogs and my initial thought was: don’t get thrashed.

That was what I was nervous about, because Barcelona are so good.

They thrashed Chelsea in the semi-final. Or if you remember the 2021 final where they took it away from Chelsea – in 20 minutes, they’re 4-0 up.

I was thinking I don’t want that. I want this to be a contest, even if we don’t win it.

So I was a bit more preoccupied with that.

But also, Lisbon’s a lovely city, one of my favourites. Went down to Pink Street, a little bit like a fan and allowed myself a drink with some friends.

Emma Jones, match commentator:

I thought Barcelona were going to win.

I’d seen what they’d done to Chelsea in the semi-finals; they’d blown them away. And they had the more recent experience of Champions League finals; they knew how to win them.

I couldn’t see anything other than a Barcelona win, to be honest.

Nicole Lockwood-West, playwright and Arsenal fan:

Waking up on 24th May 2025 in Lisbon, I had one mantra revolving around my mind throughout the day: just enjoy yourself – yes, your team are playing the reigning champions; Barcelona… but it’s fine… enjoy the day, no matter how it ends.

Laura Howard, journalist and Arsenal fan:

The day of the final itself was spent fighting a cautious optimism. Grappling with the sense that we were on the precipice of something amazing and that maybe, just maybe we could actually win the final while trying to quash all those feelings to avoid disappointment.

I spent the morning wandering around Lisbon taking in the sights amid swathes of Barcelona shirts until I made my way to Pink Street to be met by a sea of red.

There were familiar faces from the circuitous journey to the city (train to Nottingham, plane to Faro, coach to Lisbon) and from past Arsenal games.

Amid the chanting and sense of collective, there were conversations plotting out what we would be happy with from the game.

Taylor Hinds:

I was watching in Barcelona! I was with my boyfriend on holiday, but I made sure to go back to the hotel room, and we watched it. It was amazing to see.

Annie Carmen, women’s sport content creator:

The energy across the whole city of Lisbon was electric, and fans from both sides could be seen and heard, loud and proud! Barcelona fans could be seen in every corner of Lisbon while Arsenal filled Pink Street.

On the journey to the station there were around 10 Arsenal fans on the tube with the rest Barça, filling it until no more could fit on.

Nicole Lockwood-West:

I remember arriving at the stadium, hearing loud Barcelona chants and seeing an intimidating sea of blue and garnet that made my nerves start to stir. Their fans were hungry for another win.

It was time to venture into the Sporting Lisbon stadium and find my seat in the Arsenal corner. The steward said: “I hope you don’t lose too badly”. I gulped and found my seat.

Alessia Russo:

We knew what we wanted to do; we knew that we believed in the game plan. We believed in what we wanted to go and do against Barcelona, and I think everyone felt in a really good place.

Everyone was on the same page and wanting the same goal, so I felt quite calm.

I was obviously a little bit nervous and excited, but I think the overwhelming feeling that I can remember of that whole day is just calmness… and ready to play.

Nancy Baker, women’s sport content creator:

Being in Lisbon was a head and heart situation. My head was saying Barcelona will win. But my heart wanted Arsenal to win.

Nicole Lockwood-West:

As the crowd in the stadium grew, the sound intensified. The roar from the Barcelona fans ran through me like a train. We replied again and again; “ARSENAL! ARSENAL! ARSENAL!”. Looking around at fellow Arsenal fans, it felt like we’d never been more together for our team than right here, right now.

We had a job to do as supporters, just as much as the players. I wondered how they’d be feeling right now at this very moment in the tunnel.

Alessia Russo:

Was my heart going boom in the tunnel? I mean, I’m sure it was a little bit. A Champions League Final doesn’t come around every day but yeah, I definitely get nervous before every game pretty much, but nerves are good.

I thrive off nerves, then turn it into a feeling of excitement.

I think as a kid wanting to play in the Champions League, to then being able to play in a Champions League Final, obviously the nerves come with it.

But you have to be excited, and you have to enjoy those moments because in football it doesn’t happen all the time.

Kick-off

Nicole Lockwood-West:

As the Champions League theme tune blared out, Barcelona and Arsenal walked out of the tunnel. Arsenal huddled together trying to stabilise themselves from the immense sound reverberating from the stands to the pitch. The whistle peeps for kick off.

“Enjoy yourself – no matter how it ends”. The mantra was circling around in my head, I was starting to feel dizzy and sick. Or maybe it was the many pastel de nata I ate earlier. Whatever it was, I didn’t need to be worried sick about Arsenal – they were playing incredibly.

12 mins

Caitlin Foord heads wide from a Kim Little cross.

15 mins

Chloe Kelly volleys over from a Foord cross.

Renée Slegers:

I think one big moment for me was 10, 15 minutes into the game, because of course we tried to visualise, how is this game going to look? And is our game plan going to work?

After about 10, 15 minutes, I felt like, okay, things are working and the belief started growing.

I think on our end, on the side line, but also with the players on the pitch, that was a special moment.

Nicole Lockwood-West:

As fans, we were unstoppable! Claudia Pina fell to the floor claiming a foul close to our corner. At this point our collective voice let her know exactly how we felt. The referee agreed – success!

Laura Howard:

We hit 20 minutes at 0-0. “We need to stop them from scoring early”. “0-0 at half-time would be great”.

23 mins

Irene Paredes own goal. Joy unconfined. But Arsenal celebrations are cut short when VAR intervenes and Frida Maanum is adjudged offside.

28 mins

Maanum’s long-range, top bins shot tipped over by Barça keeper Cata Coll. From the corner Kim Little’s shot is fired over.

30 mins

Barcelona magician Aitana Bonmati shoots straight at Arsenal keeper Daphne Van Domselaar.

33 mins

Caitlin Foord blocks Fridolina Rolfo’s shot and celebrates it like a goal.

Chloe Kelly:

There were many challenges from the centre halves, the midfield putting in challenges, the press from the front – Caitlin’s block was one.

I think that gave us a lot of confidence as we went on. We built momentum not only with the ball, but off the ball as well and that was so good to see.

When Caitlin gets up and celebrates that tackle, I think that then gives the whole team a little bit more confidence and a little bit more drive – we feel really together in that moment.

When you’ve got a winger making that block in the box, that sets the tone for the whole team and we really feed off that moment, and we can really build on that.

40 mins

Emily Fox blocks Claudia Pina’s shot

Laura Howard:

Each moment celebrated – the Caitlin Foord block, the disallowed own goal – “at least we’ve had something to celebrate”.

And all the time struggling to quash those feelings of hope and belief that we could actually win.

Emma Jones:

I noticed that Barcelona weren’t playing as I was expecting, and I realised it was because Arsenal were getting their tactics right – particularly defensively.

Arsenal were creating chances, and again that’s something you don’t normally see when you’re playing Barcelona.

I thought: “Okay, somebody’s worked them out” and somebody has worked them out in the final of the Champions League!

Chloe Kelly:

Sometimes without the ball can be just as impactful for us when you’ve got the ball.

Some amazing memories from the final, but some learnings as well; without the ball we can actually build confidence, build momentum, stick together and work the game plan.

45 mins

Van Domselaar picks yet another cross out of the sky. Her return from injury just in time for this match has been crucial.

Half time 0-0 

Tim Stillman:

I was nervous now because we’re in it.

And if we lose, it’s going to hurt because if we lose, it’s probably going to be by one goal.

You manage the first 15 minutes. Okay, we’ve done better than Chelsea did in 2021. Half an hour, we’re in it. Then half time and you think not only are we at 0-0, but it’s not like we were getting battered and hanging on.

I think I described it as a game of equals and that definitely made me more nervous.

Nicole Lockwood-West:

And breathe… What a first half!

I felt immense pride, and it had only been the first 45 mins. “Whatever happens now, it doesn’t matter. Arsenal showed up against Barcelona – that’s what matters”.

After the highs and lows the season had brought us, I couldn’t feel anything but pride.

I watched them in every round of the Champions League and at this point; I started to get a feeling. Maybe we could win…

Second half

Early flurries of attacking from Barcelona, dealt with by the excellent Fox and Van Domselaar.

49 mins

Paredes booked.

54 mins

Patri Guijarro’s speculative shot goes wide as Barça ramp up the pressure.

61-63 mins

Bonmati’s shot dealt with by Van Domselaar, and Ona Batlle fizzes a shot over.

Salma Paralluelo comes on for Claudia Pina.

Ref fails to give a penalty when Katie McCabe makes a foray into the Barça box and is taken out.

66 mins

Kelly gets a yellow for a cheeky push on Alexia Putellas.

Tim Stillman:

In the moment, because we had Beth and Stina on the bench, I was thinking if it was still 0-0 and they come on, they can make something happen. That’s two really good players to bring off the bench.

67 mins

Stina Blackstenius and Beth Mead come on for Kelly and Maanum

Tim Stillman:

There was a point in the beginning of the second half, Barca started to get on top, I was like “Okay, here it comes” and I prepared myself at that point and I was thinking “Okay, alright, Arsenal are going for this now – it’s going to be very difficult to stop them”.

Once it got to 70 minutes, it was like “Okay, we’ve ridden that out”.

72 mins

Substitute Stina Blackstenius takes the striker role, with Russo becoming the 10, and the Swede has her shot saved by Coll’s leg.

74 mins

Substitute Stina Blackstenius scores – after build-up play from Mariona Caldentey – and a neat assist from Stina’s fellow sub Beth Mead.

ONE-NIL TO THE ARSENAL.

Emma Jones:

Arsenal have taken the lead in the Champions League Final!

I was like: Arsenal aren’t supposed to be winning this, but they are.

Nicole Lockwood-West:

All I could remember was screeching “STIIINNAA!!!”

Tim Stillman:

When the goal went in, I felt confident it would finish 1-0 because Arsenal had this defensively, and it felt to me that this was going to be a 1-0 game. If this could finish 1-0, then we’ve got it.  

81 mins

Esme Brugts and Ingrid Engen on for Mapi Leon and Rolfo.

Laura Howard:

Chanting became an outlet from stress and the moment Stina Blackstenius scored was simply euphoric. I had climbed to one of the highest points in Lisbon earlier in the day, up steep hills, and yet my heart rate was higher in the final minutes of that match.

83 mins

Bonmati’s shot goes wide. Leah Williamson and Van Domselaar both continue to dominate in the air and shut up shop. More and more Barça crosses fly in and Arsenal keep them out.

Tim Stillman:

I thought the shape was good, good defending, keeping them out of dangerous areas but obviously Barcelona can still score at any time, they had players that could do that.

I didn’t think we were going to give them anything, and Barcelona knew that, they came to that stage where they thought, someone is going to have to whack one in from 30 yards or we’re going to have to score from a corner, and that’s why I felt confident.

86 mins

Foord off, Lina Hurtig on.

90 mins

An incredible 7 mins of time is added.

Laura Howard:

Agony, pure agony. How many minutes?! SEVEN?! “Just enjoy yourself, just enjoy the day, no matter how it all ends”.

92 mins

Lotte Wubben-Moy on for Russo. Blackstenius continues to press upfront.

94-97 mins

Blur of corners, relentless defending and random bits of stoppage, with everyone – every single player and supporter – pulling together for Arsenal.

Laura Howard:

All the fans muscled in as the twelfth player to carry our heroes home by chanting, screaming, roaring, crossing fingers and toes, covering our faces, biting our nails, jumping, raving, dancing, singing through ‘squeaky bum’ time until – three beautiful, sweet, tones – the final whistle.

They did it. We did it. Underdogs to top dogs. Against all odds, Arsenal are Champions.

FT. 1-0.

Emma Jones:

They’ve done it, they’ve done it again – the only English team to win the Champions League trophy are now going to lift it for a second time!

Tim Stillman:

When the final whistle went, I had a good idea that I’d probably cry – and I did a bit. But it was reasonably dignified… initially. I think particularly because I really felt we were going to win the game that I kind of prepared myself, and during the seven-minute stoppage time I thought this was going to happen.

So I kept it reasonably dignified. Then my wife sent me a video from home of my then four-year-old celebrating the final whistle and at that point it was no longer dignified!

Emma Sanders from the BBC was sitting across from me, being very professional and doing her job, writing up what she needed to.

She asked me about Stina Blackstenius’ contract, and when I turned round, and she saw my face she immediately regretted trying to get any knowledge from me. After that I composed myself.

Laura Howard:

After the final whistle there was a distinct sense of needing to soak in the feeling and to memorise every inch of my surroundings. I never want to forget that feeling or memory. I lived in it for weeks afterwards, fighting to remain in that moment.

No stretch to say it was the best weekend of my life.

Taylor Hinds:

It was a bit of a rollercoaster of a game. I’ve always had a soft spot for Arsenal from growing up here, so I was hoping the girls would do well and they did – they proved everyone wrong. I was delighted for them.

Nicole Lockwood-West:

Tears. That was all I could see. I will forever remember the moment we won the Champions League through the distorted vision of my watery eyeballs.

I wondered: how did Arsenal get here this season? I remembered the helplessness we felt after losing to Bayern Munich in the group stages and watching Chelsea score two effortless goals in 15 minutes at the Emirates in the WSL the following game.

I remembered the writing on the wall reading “Jonas Out” and waiting forever to hear if Renée would become our permanent manager. And through all of that, they triumphed. We triumphed. In 2007 and now 2025 – “It’s so nice, we had to do it twice”.

Olivia Smith:

It was an amazing game. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.

It was quite stressful for me, and I wasn’t even on the pitch! But it was an amazing performance by the girls, and I think watching it from a screen you can just see the motivation, the drive, the hunger and I knew that was something that I wanted to be a part of as well.

So, I think that was also a massive driving factor, just looking at their mentality and what they’ve achieved in the Champions league, getting hold of that trophy is only something that I want to be a part of.

Tim Stillman:

I remember at the press conference afterwards, they brought out Kim (Little) first, and I’ve known Kim for a number of years, and just having that little moment when she walked in with a clenched fist.

My first question to Renée was: “usually I try and ask you a tactical question, but I can’t do it, I’m not capable of that at the moment!”.

There was a really nice moment (personally) in the mixed zone afterwards where we were talking to Alessia Russo, and some of the players who have been at Arsenal a bit longer, that I know a bit better, like Leah (Williamson) and Katie (McCabe).

Leah came over and interrupted the interview to give me a big hug. Katie slapped me on the back, and I think might have broken my rib quite frankly!

It was a really nice moment there, because usually I have to hide the fan in me in those moments, so it was nice that the players came over and were like: “Don’t worry about that today”.

I was with the men’s team when they won the league at Old Trafford in 2002, I saw all 49 of the unbeaten run of games, I saw us win the league at White Hart Lane – and Arsenal winning the Champions League in Lisbon is right up there with those moments for me… Nothing better!

Nicole Lockwood-West:

Leaving the stadium was a bittersweet moment, as I looked over my shoulder for one last glimpse of the stadium where dreams came true. It was so memorable watching everyone on the pitch having their moment with the trophy.

We could have stayed there singing, dancing and partying until the sun came up.

We took our party onto the subway train, where we sang our chants to one another as we headed to Pink Street!

Laura Howard:

After the match I headed off with a group and sat decompressing, sharing memories of supporting Arsenal, reliving the moments of the match and telling each other where our support had begun.

For a football fan it was the pinnacle. Pink Street followed and the chanting recommenced until my voice was hoarse.

Pink Street was packed! Waves of Gooner jerseys flooded the floor, so much so you couldn’t tell that the street was even pink – looked pretty red to me!

Celebrations went on until the early hours. I met so many other fans and had joyous conversations about their love for women’s sports, football… and Arsenal.

Matchday +2 – aka Monday morning

Danny Milwain, writer, producer:

A few hours of sleep was all I needed after our flight home from Lisbon; I left my house bright and early for the trophy lift at the Emirates. Heading north on the overground, I spotted a few Arsenal tops along the carriage even at that early hour.

I heard the roar of the crowd as I approached the stadium; there was still over two hours until the event itself, but the Gunners fans arrived in their droves to celebrate a huge moment for the club.

Danny Milwain:

I avoided the main chaos in front of the Armoury and went up to the press area. Everyone was buzzing to be there, and I found myself chatting to them all about where were during the game, what we thought about the tactics, what this means for the previously untameable FC Barcelona.

After great tunes and audience interaction the team onto the stage one by one, with most of them wearing sunglasses. If their past 48 hours were anything like mine then probably a good idea!

Stina Blackstenius came onto the stage with probably the biggest roar from the crowd. Her match winner has written her name into the annals of football history forever, so that was no surprise!

After the team gave their interviews to the crowd the press team were invited to the side of the stage where I was able to speak to the one and only Win the dog! I didn’t get much out of her though she seemed to enjoy the attention.

My next interview was more productive, with vice-captain Leah Williamson. She gave myself, Suzy Wrack and Tim Stillman 10 minutes of her time to quiz her. It was incredible to speak to her after what was one of the best defensive performances I’ve seen at a football match.

Leah Williamson:

The game plan always is that we want to be the hardest-working team in the world… the effort from my teammates, not only defenders, but the strikers is unbelievable.

All of us. All in.

Danny Milwain:

With my head spinning from an absolutely bonkers occasion, dance music blaring and the crowd still hanging around to just bask in the realisation that Arsenal did win the Champions League, I went to meet some friends at the pub to digest what had occurred.

Gill Sayell, OG and 1987 Arsenal Player:

To see the club grow as it has over the years, having been there from the beginning in 1987, and to see the haul of trophies, to not only winning the Champions league in 2007, but to do it again in 2025 is something very, very special.

It shows what a resilient team and club Arsenal truly is.

They did it the hard way.

Photos: Laura Howard, Nicole Lockwood-West, Danny Milwain, Arsenal, UEFA, Instagram