Arsenal defeated Barcelona to lift the Women’s Champions League trophy for just the second time in the club’s history last season.
That success was unexpected after the team were left trailing by Chelsea in the Women’s Super League (WSL) title race. They finished 12 points behind their local rivals in the WSL standings and will be desperate to bridge the sizeable gap next season.
Heading into the new campaign as champions of Europe may be the inspiration they need to reclaim their place at the pinnacle of the WSL for the first time since 2018/19. Arsenal head coach Renee Slegers has already thrown down the gauntlet after achieving what she believes to be the start of something special.
“For us, this is just the beginning,” she said. “We’ll come back next season, with fire in our hearts, more determined, more ambitious and more together than ever.”
The Transfer Window
Arsenal have shown plenty of ambition this summer, signing Anneke Borbe and Taylor Hinds on free transfers from Wolfsburg and Liverpool, respectively.
They have also signed Chloe Kelly on a permanent deal after her initial loan move from Manchester City in January. Kelly featured 13 times in all competitions and tallied two goals and six assists for the Gunners. Her contract with City expired at the end of last season, and Arsenal have brought her back to London on a permanent deal.
However, the headline addition to the squad is undoubtedly the world record move to sign Olivia Smith from Liverpool. The Gunners paid a whopping £1 million to sign the forward, topping the £890,000 Chelsea paid to acquire Naomi Girma from San Diego Wave in January.
Smith fired Liverpool to a seventh-place finish last season, netting seven times in 20 WSL games. Breaking the world record to lure her to London is a massive statement of intent from Arsenal and they look ready to end Chelsea’s dominance in the WSL next season.
Arsenal Women Must Build on Champions League Win
Heading into the new season as two-time Champions League winners will be a massive psychological boost for the Gunners.
What made Arsenal’s European triumph all the more remarkable was how they reached a new level just when it mattered most. They were inconsistent in the WSL and finished a long way adrift of Chelsea. However, they were flawless against Barcelona.
Stina Blackstenius’s 74th-minute strike was the difference between the two sides, but every player produced a performance for the ages. Australian defender Steph Catley has already issued a rallying call ahead of the 2025/26 season.
“We have to stay Champions League winners,” she said. “We’ve got a taste of the ultimate success, so we definitely want more.”
Sports bettors in Australia will be closely following the team’s progress. Catley is one of three Australian players who ply their trade with the Gunners’ women’s side. Their presence in the team makes Arsenal Women a popular pick with Aussie punters.
Many of the reputable sportsbooks featured on the comparison website offer an extensive range of markets on the WSL. They will be swamped with wagers on the Gunners to win the title.
Catley Eyeing the Quadruple
Catley has admitted that Arsenal could have done better last season. But the Aussie star is adamant that the Gunners are ready to build on their Champions League success and win the WSL title.
“We want an FA Cup, we want the League Cup again, we want the league,” she said. “We feel like we could have done better this year, but this is something amazing to build on for next season.”
Overhauling Chelsea will be easier said than done, but if there’s any team in the WSL that can pull it off, it’s Arsenal. The Gunners are certainly moving in the right direction and have shown ambition in the transfer market. The challenge for Arsenal will be consistency.
Slegers’ side can put any team to the sword on their day, but they cannot afford to be sloppy at any point in the season. If they are going to dethrone Chelsea, they cannot afford any hint of complacency. Chelsea won the league unbeaten last season. However, doing that in back-to-back campaigns is near-impossible.
Arsenal will need to be near-perfect to wrestle the crown off Chelsea’s grasp. If they make a strong start to the WSL season, their odds on the sportsbooks listed on australianbettingsites.net.au will tumble. Winning the quadruple may be asking too much, but the Gunners will be determined to upset the odds.
