Forward Stina Blackstenius scored the only goal as Arsenal defeated Barcelona 1-0 in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final to clinch the title for the second time in the club’s history.

Having won the last two editions of the tournament, Barcelona came into the final at the José Alvalade Stadium in Portugal on Saturday as the favourites.

However, Arsenal were able to tame the highly versatile Barcelona’s attack early on.

Despite multiple close efforts from both teams, neither of them could find a breakthrough, and the match remained goalless until the 74th minute when Blackstenius broke the deadlock for the Gunners through a right-footed shot from the centre of the box just seven minutes after coming on.

Barcelona immediately launched intense attacking pressure on Arsenal’s half in the last minutes of the game to find an equaliser, but Arsenal reverted to a disciplined defensive formation to see the advantage through the rest of the match.

Arsenal remain the only English club to have won the European title, with the latest triumph coming 18 years after the club first clinched the tournament in the 2006/07 season.