Barcelona fans wave flags at Lisbon’s riverside Comercio square, on the eve of the women’s Champions League final soccer match between Arsenal and FC Barcelona in Lisbon, Friday, May 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Ana Brigida)
An Arsenal fan waves a flag at Lisbon’s riverside Comercio square, on the eve of the women’s Champions League final soccer match between Arsenal and FC Barcelona in Lisbon, Friday, May 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Ana Brigida)
Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati plays the ball during a training session, on the eve of the women’s Champions League final soccer match between Arsenal and FC Barcelona, at the Jose Alvalade Stadium, in Lisbon, Friday, May 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)
Barcelona’s Caroline Graham Hansen, center, plays the ball with team players during a training session, on the eve of the women’s Champions League final soccer match between Arsenal and FC Barcelona, at the Jose Alvalade Stadium, in Lisbon, Friday, May 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)
Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati works out during a training session, on the eve of the women’s Champions League final soccer match between Arsenal and FC Barcelona, at the Jose Alvalade Stadium, in Lisbon, Friday, May 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)
Barcelona fans wave flags at Lisbon’s riverside Comercio square, on the eve of the women’s Champions League final soccer match between Arsenal and FC Barcelona in Lisbon, Friday, May 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Ana Brigida)
LISBON, Portugal (AP) 鈥 Barcelona and Arsenal are set for the Women鈥檚 Champions League final in Lisbon on Saturday.
Barcelona is the heavy favorite when at kickoff at 5 p.m. local time (1600 GMT) as the two-time defending champion seeks a three-peat and a fourth overall title in five years.
The Catalan club boasts a midfield featuring two-time Ballon d鈥橭r winners and , who lead a squad with several other members of team.
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Bonmat铆, the reigning top women’s player in the world, said on Friday that it is logical that her team is picked by most neutral observers as likely to win. But she added that Arsenal had shown it can compete with the best in the sport.
鈥淚t is going to be a tough final and either side can win,” the playmaker said.
Arsenal will try to conjure up another superb performance after it fought back to stun both Real Madrid and in reaching its first final since winning the European Cup in 2007.
Barcelona boasts the top attack in the competition. Claudia Pina and Ewa Pajor have helped their team pour in a competition-high 44 goals 鈥 compared to Arsenal鈥檚 25.
The Gunners will hope former Barcelona forward Mariona Caldentey can help them find a way to upset her former team. She and forward Alessia Russo lead Arsenal with seven goals each since the group phase.
Arsenal coach Ren茅e Slegers, who took over the team midseason and now has them on the cusp of the biggest title in the sport, said she will ask her players to 鈥渂e brave鈥 against Barcelona.
Arsenal has first-choice goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar back in the starting lineup after she missed the last three games due to an ankle injury.
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Both teams are expecting to be well-supported at the sold-out 50,000-seat Estadio de Jose Alvalade, home of Sporting Lisbon. Fans dressed in Bar莽a鈥檚 blue-and-burgundy and Arsenal鈥檚 white-and-red peacefully partied ahead of the game in Lisbon鈥檚 sunny and warm downtown before heading to the bright green stadium.
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