Arsenal exit Women’s Champions League as Lyon book final; Barcelona to meet OL in Oslo

Arsenal knocked out as Lyon overturn deficit to reach final

Arsenal's defence of the UEFA Women's Champions League ended when OL Lyonnes overturned a first-leg deficit to progress to the final, the Guardian's Women's Football Weekly podcast reported on 5 May 2026. The episode's panel — Faye Carruthers, Suzy Wrack, Tom Garry and Sophie Downey — discussed where the tie slipped away and OL Lyonnes's clinical edge as decisive factors in the outcome.

Barcelona set up blockbuster final against OL Lyonnes

According to the same Guardian episode, Barcelona overcame Bayern Munich to reach the final and will face OL Lyonnes in the showpiece in Oslo. The panel reflected on Barcelona's continued dominance in European women’s club football and previewed what to expect from a final between two of the game's heavyweights.

Podcast reaction: VAR, momentum and clinical finishing

The Guardian panel discussed the influence of VAR on a stop-start contest and how Lyon's clinical finishing helped them overturn the first-leg deficit. They debated the moments that swung the tie and assessed the implications for Arsenal as they move into the closing stages of their domestic season.

• Arsenal's Champions League defence ended after OL Lyonnes overturned a first-leg deficit (source: Guardian podcast summary, 5 May 2026).
• Barcelona beat Bayern Munich to reach the final and will face OL Lyonnes in Oslo (source: Guardian podcast summary, 5 May 2026).
• The Guardian episode included discussion of VAR impact and Lyon's clinical edge (source: Guardian podcast summary).
• Birmingham City head coach Amy Merricks was a guest on the episode (source: Guardian podcast summary).

Context: what this means for the clubs involved

The podcast coverage framed the result as a significant European setback for Arsenal’s campaign; however, the episode summary does not provide match scores, scorers, or dates beyond the publication timestamp. It also highlights Barcelona's progression to set up a high-profile final in Oslo with Lyon.

Birmingham City head coach Amy Merricks joined the pod as a guest, though the summary does not detail the content of that interview beyond her appearance.

What happens next

According to the podcast summary, the immediate European outcome is Lyon versus Barcelona in the Women's Champions League final in Oslo. Further details — such as the final date, scorelines from the semi-finals, and any specific tactical or player-level consequences for Arsenal and other clubs — were not included in the episode metadata and should be confirmed from match reports and official club or UEFA communications.