Bournemouth Seal Europe But Champions League Dream Lives On

Erling Haaland may have denied Bournemouth all three points last night, but the Cherries supporters left the Vitality Stadium knowing their side would be playing in Europe next season.

Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City confirmed Bournemouth’s place in at least the UEFA Europa League next season.

Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth still have two possible routes to the Champions League, however.

They’ll be relying on Aston Villa to beat Freiburg in tonight’s Europa League Final and then finish 5th in the Premier League.

The extra place in the Champions League that the Premier League earned through the European Performance spot would go to the team finishing sixth.

To finish fifth, Villa would need to lose at Manchester City and for Liverpool to win at home to Brentford.

If Bournemouth avoid defeat at Nottingham Forest, or Brighton fail to win at home to Manchester United, the Cherries would finish sixth and play among Europe’s elite next season.

Bournemouth can also qualify through a couple of other routes. If Liverpool lose, then Bournemouth could go above The Reds on goal difference. It would need a swing of seven goals, which, admittedly, is unlikely, but weirder things have happened.

This Premier League has been absolutely filled with surprises, but could an end-of-season play-off decide the final Champions League spot? For it to happen, Liverpool would need to lose 1-0 to Brentford and Bournemouth to thump Nottingham Forest 5-0 at the City Ground. Goals scored and goals conceded would be identical; head-to-head points would be three each, with each team scoring twice away from home against the other.

The Premier League title is now Arsenal’s for the first time in 22 years, but six of the 10 games on the final day will still have something riding on them.

As well as the Champions League, slots in the Europa League, Conference League and relegation are to be decided.

For the final relegation place, West Ham need a victory at home to Leeds United to give themselves a chance.

Then it is down to Tottenham, who would need to cast aside their home hoodoo to stay in the Premier League.

Brighton must win at home to Manchester United to be sure of playing in the Europa League. If they fail to do so, they could miss out on Europe with Brentford, and either Chelsea or Sunderland able to overtake them.

Chelsea, who hold the Conference League spot in eighth, go to the Stadium of Light knowing victory could get them Europa League football, but a loss would guarantee they miss out on Europe. The Black Cats must claim a victory and hope that either Brentford fails to win or Brighton loses.

Brentford are the only other team in contention, but they have to win at Anfield to have any chance of fighting their way back into the European spots.