Arsenal's Secret Weapon: Stina Blackstenius Signs New Deal Ahead of Champions League Semi-Final

Arsenal striker Stina Blackstenius has signed a new two-year contract extension with the club, securing the future of the player who delivered the decisive goal in last season's Women's Champions League final — as Arsenal prepare to face Lyon in the second leg of this season's semi-final on Saturday.

The Details

Blackstenius's contract renewal, reported by BBC Sport, comes at a defining moment for Arsenal Women. The club hold a 2-1 advantage over Lyon from the first leg at the Emirates, and Blackstenius remains one of the most statistically effective substitutes in the Women's Super League.

The numbers behind her impact are striking. According to BBC Sport, since January 2022, Blackstenius has been involved in more WSL goals as a substitute — 15 goals and two assists — than any other player in the competition. She has made 106 appearances for Arsenal but has started only 55 of them across all competitions, yet her influence in the moments that matter most has been consistent.

Since her Arsenal debut four years ago, Blackstenius has scored 13 winning goals in the WSL, according to BBC Sport. Only Manchester City's Khadija Shaw, with 25, has scored more over the same period. In knockout football, the figures are even more telling: Blackstenius has scored 13 goals in quarter-finals, semi-finals or finals for Arsenal, including both the 2023 and 2024 League Cup showpieces, BBC Sport reported.

She has competed in four finals as an Arsenal player and won all four, scoring in three of them, according to Sky Sports. The most recent came in the 2024 Women's Champions League final against Barcelona in Lisbon, where Blackstenius came off the bench, scored the winning goal in the 74th minute — with only her third touch of the ball, seven minutes after entering the pitch — to seal the trophy for Arsenal, BBC Sport reported.

'I just try to see what the game looks like and what I can come on and bring,' Blackstenius told BBC Sport. 'I give it my all and I love to score for this club.'

Her statistics, however, are not all one-sided. BBC Sport noted she has been caught offside more than any other player since January 2022, despite accumulating fewer minutes than most. She has also spurned 58 big chances in four years; only Khadija Shaw has missed more, though Shaw has scored more than double Blackstenius's total over the same period, according to BBC Sport. The numbers reflect a player who pushes the defensive line relentlessly, creating space even when the final touch does not come off.

Arsenal beat Leicester City 4-0 in the WSL on Wednesday, with Blackstenius withdrawn at half-time, according to BBC Sport — a decision that points to her being managed carefully for Saturday's second leg against Lyon. Arsenal were knocked out by Lyon in the semi-finals the previous year, according to Sky Sports, adding a layer of unfinished business to the tie.

Context

Arsenal are the current Women's Champions League holders, having beaten Barcelona in last season's final in Lisbon, Sky Sports reported. Blackstenius operates in a crowded forward line, competing for starting places with Alessia Russo, Chloe Kelly, Beth Mead, Olivia Smith and Caitlin Foord, according to BBC Sport — which makes her consistency from the bench all the more notable.

Russo has been Arsenal's most prominent forward this season in European competition. The England striker is this season's Women's Champions League top scorer, with eight goals in 10 matches, Sky Sports reported. That Blackstenius has continued to deliver in high-pressure moments alongside such competition illustrates the depth Arsenal have built.

Rachel Corsie, Scotland defender and Sky Sports pundit, offered a direct assessment of Blackstenius's standing in the league: 'I really like Stina — she doesn't get the credit she deserves. She is one of the best in the WSL no doubt, so difficult to play against and she does defensive work too.' The comment, reported by BBC Sport, captures a perception shared among those who work against her: that her public profile lags behind her actual contribution.

Blackstenius spoke to BBC Sport about what the club means to her, framing her contract renewal in terms of the environment rather than individual ambition: 'We have so much quality in this team and we are a really good group that wants to support each other. I feel safe in this group and I know my team-mates have my back. This club feels a lot like home.'

What's Next

Arsenal face Lyon in the Women's Champions League semi-final second leg on Saturday 2 May at 14:00 BST, according to BBC Sport. The first leg result — Arsenal's 2-1 win at the Emirates, reported by Sky Sports — means the Gunners carry a one-goal advantage into the away fixture, with a place in the final at stake.

Blackstenius, speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the first leg, framed what drives her in these moments: 'I really love to win with this team. I would do anything for that to happen. As a striker, you always want to score goals and in these big games, there's something special about it.' Whether she starts or enters from the bench, her record in finals and semi-finals makes her one of the names Lyon's defence will need to account for.