As with previous seasons, the recent football campaign delivered many memorable moments. Unexpected outcomes shaped the narrative, with several teams securing significant victories across various competitions.
Part One of this guide looked at some of those sides. In Part Two, we continue our focus on other clubs that went on to claim some of football’s most prestigious honours. We’ll review Arne Slot’s and Hansi Flick’s first league triumphs and highlight Arsenal Women’s remarkable UWCL title win.
Arsenal Women Stun Europe with Historic UWCL Run
At the beginning of the 2024/25 season, tipping Arsenal Women as potential UWCL champions would have appeared unlikely. The competition featured established powerhouses such as Barcelona, Lyon, Chelsea, and Wolfsburg. All of these sides had strong credentials, with Barcelona having won the previous two editions and Lyon holding eight UWCL titles.
Their Champions League journey began with a 5–2 defeat to Bayern Munich— their only loss in the tournament. They responded by winning their next five group matches, finishing first in Group C with 15 points. They face Real Madrid in the quarterfinal, returning from a 2:0 first leg defeat to win 3:0 at the Emirates.
A similar scenario played out in the semifinal, where they lost 2:1 at home against Lyon. However, the Gunners got the job done in France, securing a 4:1 away win. In the final, Renee Sledgers’ team claimed a 1:0 victory over Barcelona.
There were a lot of standout performers for the Gunners, but the most outstanding credit must go to team manager Renee Sledger. Thrust into the spotlight after Jonas Eivedall was fired in October 2024, Renee steadied the ship. She implemented strong attacking styles when necessary, while maintaining defensive solidity at crucial stages of the campaign.
Goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar provided a steady presence among the standout performers between the posts. Defenders Emily Fox and Leah Williamson were dependable throughout the campaign. Alessia Russo and Mariona Caldentey delivered important goals during the knockout stages.
The Gunners will aim to build on that momentum as they enter the new season. It will be Renée’s first full campaign in charge, and she will be eager to compete across all competitions. How the next chapter unfolds remains to be seen.
Harry Kane Ends the Wait: First Major Title at 31
Now 31, Harry Kane has finally secured a major trophy after years competing at the highest level. Personally, I attribute the delay in his success to a lack of ambition earlier in his career. That said, this post isn’t about revisiting that debate.
He played a key role in Vincent Kompany’s attacking setup in what proved to be a successful season for the English forward. The Bavarians clinched the league title with 82 points from 37 matches, recording 25 wins, seven draws, and only two losses. They found the net 99 times and conceded 32 goals.
Kane contributed directly to 34 of those goals, scoring 26 and assisting eight. He’ll no doubt be relieved to have ended his long wait for silverware and will now aim to add more titles in the seasons ahead. A second trophy could come this summer, with Bayern in contention for the Club World Cup.
Flick Hits the Ground Running: Treble Glory for Barcelona
Hansi Flick remains a world-class coach despite his struggles with the German National team. So we are not surprised by his success in the recently concluded season. Armed with special talents like Pedri, Raphinha, Yamal, and Lewandowski, Flick dominated Spain last season.
Barca are Spanish Champions, Spanish Cup Winners, and Spanish Super Cup Winners. They played 60 games last season, winning 44 games, drawing seven and losing nine. In addition to their trophy haul, Barca reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.
During their run of 60 games, Barcelona scored 174, while conceding 72 times. Their attack was one of the best in Europe, with their starting frontmen all in the race to win the Ballon d’Or.
Raphina was particularly exciting this season. The 28-year-old Brazilian played 57 games, scoring 34 goals and assisting 25 times. Lewandowski was also in top form this season, scoring 42 goals with three assists.
Young Lamine Yamal was also solid this campaign. The special 17-year winger was decisive in crucial moments, often kickstarting comebacks or leading from the front during big games. The Spaniard got 18 goals and 25 assists.
Although Barca were poor defensively last season, they still outscored most of their opponents. Their defence will remain a cause for concern, but they should be fine with the right additions this summer. Hansi Flick will look to repeat this season’s performances in the upcoming campaign. Given his pedigree, we know he can pull it off once again.
PSG Seals Long-Awaited Champions League Triumph
After years of major financial investment, PSG has finally secured the UEFA Champions League title. However, their journey to the top was anything but smooth, despite having the most expensive squad in terms of overall value and player wages.
Their success can largely be credited to the tactical intelligence of manager Luis Enrique and a group of dynamic attacking players. Although PSG underperformed during the UCL League Phase, they quickly turned their form around. Interestingly, they were much better in the playoffs, easily knocking out many of their opponents. Their 5:0 final win over Inter gave a clear indication of their abilities.
Regarding key players for the club, the arrival of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in January has proven to be a good decision. Other key contributors include Bradley Barcola, Désiré Doué, and Ousmane Dembélé.
Portuguese standouts Vitinha, Nuno Mendes, and João Neves played important roles in the club’s UCL run. However, Enrique’s side also won Ligue 1, and the French Cup last season. With the potential of adding more players to their team this summer, PSG could well secure another treble next season. They have a young squad and have the funds to secure any talent they want.
Conclusion
The new football season is fast approaching, and several teams are preparing to compete at the highest level once again. Many of the sides featured in this write-up are well-positioned to contend for major honours next season. Still, new narratives may emerge as the campaign unfolds. Whatever happens, you can count on SoccerOrator.com to provide in-depth football analysis every step of the way.
Adedayo is the Co-founder and lead analyst at SoccerOrator.com. With 5+ years of experience as a sports writer for major platforms like Betzillion and Eaglespredict, he brings an expert eye to the global betting markets. Formerly a multi-sport analyst covering everything from Tennis to Esports, he now specializes exclusively in European football. He provides weekly, data-backed previews for the EPL, Champions League, and top-flight European leagues, helping bettors find value through rigorous statistical analysis.
