_NicoElNino_Alamy.jpg?width=1280&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale#)
Karen Carney names ‘favourite’ to win Champions League final as Arsenal book Barcelona meeting
Arsenal thumped Lyon to reach the Women’s Champions League final (Picture: Getty) Karen Carney has given Arsenal hope of beating ‘favourites’ Barcelona to Champions League glory after they both reached the women’s final. Arsenal overturned a one-goal deficit to stun Lyon in the semi-finals, while Barcelona thrashed Chelsea 8-2 on aggregate. The 2025 Women’s Champions League final will be held at Portugal’s Estadio Jose Alvalade on May 24. Arsenal beat Swedish side Umea in their first women’s Champions League final back in 2007. Reigning champions Barcelona have won the competition three times and reached the final an impressive five times since 2019. Get personalised updates on Arsenal everyday Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we’ll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. ‘Looking at Barcelona, they will be favourites,’ ex-England midfielder Carney told TNT Sports. ‘They’ve been there, done it, and they’ll be confident. ‘Arsenal are the underdogs. But they’ll both be enjoying tonight. I want to see Renee Slegers’ tactical details. She’s going to have to pull something magical out but if they have the belief to do it, why not? Arsenal overturned a one-goal deficit against Lyon (Picture: Getty) ‘I’m ecstatic for them. What a performance. It was classy and controlled. The manager has been a revelation. I’m thrilled for them. ‘Arsenal are back now. I really hope they win it.’ The Gunners were beaten 2-1 in the first semi-final leg at the Emirates Stadium but blew Lyon away in the second leg. Reacting to the stunning turnaround, Arsenal legend Ian Wright posted on Instagram: ‘Well done to the girls! I knew you’d do it, I never had any doubt. Arsenal will face Barcelona in the Champions League final (Picture: Getty) ‘Congratulations ladies, you were under a lot of pressure and you came through. Amazing result, amazing result! I love it.’ Kim Little, who was named Player of the Match, told DAZN: ‘It means a lot to this incredible football club. I’m excited and looking forward to representing this club in the final. ‘We have belief in this group and we are very good at executing our game plans. ‘We did it fairly well in the first leg but not well enough – today we executed it very well and thoroughly deserved to win.’ Barcelona thrashed Chelsea across two legs (Picture: Getty) On Arsenal manager Slegers, who was appointed permanently in January following Jonas Eidevall’s resignation earlier in the season, Little added: ‘Her calmness and composure, her detail and her simplifying, the words before the game are like that and you can see that in our performances. ‘Barcelona are an incredible team and we are aware of their strengths, but I believe in this team and when we are at our best we can beat anyone.’ The Champions League final could have been an all-English affair but Barcelona destroyed Women’s Super League leaders Chelsea across two legs. Assessing Chelsea’s humbling 8-2 defeat, Carney said: ‘The gulf you have seen between the two teams is absolutely huge. WSL leaders Chelsea were battered by Barca (Picture: Getty) ‘This Barca team is ridiculously good, but the defending from Chelsea has been shocking.’ While Chelsea fell short in the Champions League, they need just four points from three games to clinch the WSL title. Ex-Lyon boss Sonia Bompastor led the Blues to League Cup glory earlier in the season and will also take Chelsea into the Women’s FA Cup final, against Manchester United on May 18. ‘It will have been a good season [if we win those]. Not ideal or a perfect one,’ Bompastor said. Chelsea captain Millie Bright added: ‘We’ve still got a lot to learn but you’ve seen from spells in both games we have the quality. ‘It’s just the technical side and making sure that when we get on top of a side like that we need to punish them. Lessons learned – you just can’t make big mistakes against teams like that. ‘There’s still a lot to play for and we’ve had a fantastic season so far but unless you have anything to show for it, it means nothing.’ For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Karen Carney has given Arsenal hope of beating ‘favourites’ Barcelona to Champions League glory after they both reached the women’s final.
Arsenal overturned a one-goal deficit to stun Lyon in the semi-finals, while Barcelona thrashed Chelsea 8-2 on aggregate.
The 2025 Women’s Champions League final will be held at Portugal’s Estadio Jose Alvalade on May 24.
Arsenal beat Swedish side Umea in their first women’s Champions League final back in 2007.
Reigning champions Barcelona have won the competition three times and reached the final an impressive five times since 2019.
Get personalised updates on Arsenal everyday
Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we’ll send you so we can get football news tailored to you.
‘Looking at Barcelona, they will be favourites,’ ex-England midfielder Carney told TNT Sports. ‘They’ve been there, done it, and they’ll be confident.
‘Arsenal are the underdogs. But they’ll both be enjoying tonight. I want to see Renee Slegers’ tactical details. She’s going to have to pull something magical out but if they have the belief to do it, why not?
‘I’m ecstatic for them. What a performance. It was classy and controlled. The manager has been a revelation. I’m thrilled for them.
‘Arsenal are back now. I really hope they win it.’
The Gunners were beaten 2-1 in the first semi-final leg at the Emirates Stadium but blew Lyon away in the second leg.
Reacting to the stunning turnaround, Arsenal legend Ian Wright posted on Instagram: ‘Well done to the girls! I knew you’d do it, I never had any doubt.
‘Congratulations ladies, you were under a lot of pressure and you came through. Amazing result, amazing result! I love it.’
Kim Little, who was named Player of the Match, told DAZN: ‘It means a lot to this incredible football club. I’m excited and looking forward to representing this club in the final.
‘We have belief in this group and we are very good at executing our game plans.
‘We did it fairly well in the first leg but not well enough – today we executed it very well and thoroughly deserved to win.’
On Arsenal manager Slegers, who was appointed permanently in January following Jonas Eidevall’s resignation earlier in the season, Little added: ‘Her calmness and composure, her detail and her simplifying, the words before the game are like that and you can see that in our performances.
‘Barcelona are an incredible team and we are aware of their strengths, but I believe in this team and when we are at our best we can beat anyone.’
The Champions League final could have been an all-English affair but Barcelona destroyed Women’s Super League leaders Chelsea across two legs.
Assessing Chelsea’s humbling 8-2 defeat, Carney said: ‘The gulf you have seen between the two teams is absolutely huge.
‘This Barca team is ridiculously good, but the defending from Chelsea has been shocking.’
While Chelsea fell short in the Champions League, they need just four points from three games to clinch the WSL title.
Ex-Lyon boss Sonia Bompastor led the Blues to League Cup glory earlier in the season and will also take Chelsea into the Women’s FA Cup final, against Manchester United on May 18.
‘It will have been a good season [if we win those]. Not ideal or a perfect one,’ Bompastor said.
Chelsea captain Millie Bright added: ‘We’ve still got a lot to learn but you’ve seen from spells in both games we have the quality.
‘It’s just the technical side and making sure that when we get on top of a side like that we need to punish them. Lessons learned – you just can’t make big mistakes against teams like that.
‘There’s still a lot to play for and we’ve had a fantastic season so far but unless you have anything to show for it, it means nothing.’
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
