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The 2024-25 Premier League season finally wrapped up, and even though Liverpool had already won the title weeks ago, there was still plenty to fight for. All 20 teams kicked off their last games at the same time, with fight fior the Champions League spot heating up.
Liverpool celebrated their championship in style with a 1-1 draw against FA cup winner Crystal Palace, while Arsenal end their season on by beating Southampton 2-1 to lock down second place for the third time in a row. Manchester City, after a bit of a shaky season by their usual standards, made sure they did what they needed to do with a confident 2-0 win at Fulham, securing third and their spot back in the Champions League. Chelsea squeezed into fourth place with a narrow 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest to make sure they head back to the Champions League after missing out last season.
Newcastle really turned heads this season, they finished fifth and are heading to the Champions League for just the second time in three years — even though they lost their final match of the season at home to Everton. Aston Villa’s hopes took a hit when they lost to Manchester United, dropping them to sixth and into the Europa League for next season.
Chelsea's Win and Forest's European Return
Chelsea's win was huge for manager Enzo Maresca. It secures Champions League football and boosts him before the Conference League final and the Club World Cup. Nottingham Forest finished seventh, earning a Conference League spot—their first European trip since the 90s. That's huge for a team that fought hard to avoid relegation last season.
Aston Villa's hopes of Champions League football ended with a whimper after their goalie was sent off early against Manchester United. They'll have to settle for the Europa League. Meanwhile, Manchester United's awful season ended with a win that lifted them to 15th, safely away from the drop, but there's still a big rebuild coming.
How the European Spots Fell Into Place
The Premier League earned an extra Champions League spot this year thanks to its strong European performances. So five teams qualified through the league, plus Tottenham, who won the Europa League but finished 17th, meaning six English sides in the Champions League next season.
Newcastle's Carabao Cup win guaranteed European football, but since they qualified through the league, Nottingham Forest grabbed the Conference League spot. Crystal Palace qualified for the Europa League by winning the FA Cup.
Chelsea, as Conference League finalists and fourth-place finishers, will play in the Champions League. A rule lets teams choose between the Champions League and Europa League if they qualify for both, and Chelsea will choose the Champions League.
Looking Ahead
The Premier League continues to dominate Europe. It could have up to 11 teams in European competitions in rare cases! This season showed just how competitive the league is, with surprise teams like Nottingham Forest mixing it up with the giants. But clubs like Manchester United have a big job ahead of time to get back on track Now, it's all about the summer transfer window and gearing up for next season's battles—both at home and in Europe.
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