Chelsea, Newcastle United Seal Champions League Qualification As Forest, Aston Villa Miss Out
- Chelsea are back in the UEFA Champions League following their hard-fought victory over Nottingham Forest on the final day of the Premier League
- Levi Colwill's 50th-minute strike was enough to hand the Blues all three points, as they finished 5th in the standings
- Manchester City and Newcastle United also confirmed their place in Europe's elite competition, while Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest missed out
On a nail-biting final day of the 2024-25 Premier League season, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Newcastle United clinched Champions League spots, with a single goal capable of reshaping the top-seven race.
Chelsea battled hard to register a hard-fought 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, where Levi Colwill's strike secured their place in the European competition.
Manchester City confirmed their return to Europe’s elite with a clinical 2-0 victory at Fulham, with Ilkay Gundogan and Erling Haaland goals ensuring Pep Guardiola's side sealed third place.
Source: Getty Images
Newcastle United, despite a shock 1-0 loss to Everton via Carlos Alcaraz’s header, snatched a Champions League spot after Aston Villa’s 2-0 defeat at Old Trafford, where Manchester United’s late goals from Amad Diallo and Christian Eriksen crushed Villa’s hopes, NBS Sports reports.
Premier League champions Liverpool and Champions League semi-finalists Arsenal had already locked in their places before the final day.
How Chelsea defeated Nottingham Forest
In what could be described as a final, Chelsea’s encounter with Nottingham Forest at the City Ground was a tense, defensive battle for Champions League qualification.
The opening minutes hinted at an open contest, but both sides quickly prioritised caution, with Forest edging possession but neither team creating much danger.
The first half ended goalless, with zero shots on target and only four attempts total. Pedro Neto and Chris Wood each squandered a golden opportunity, the only notable chances.
Desperate Chelsea returned from the tunnel with slightly more intent, and their pressure paid off in the 50th minute when Levi Colwill tapped in a Pedro Neto delivery from a corner’s second phase, per The Athletic.
After the brief spark, the Blues reverted to their defensive shell. Enzo Maresca reinforced this approach, bringing on Romeo Lavia and Malo Gusto to fortify the backline, while Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s late substitution left Cole Palmer as the lone attacking outlet.
Forest did everything possible to restore parity, but the home team couldn’t break through, their missed chances proving costly
Chelsea were resolute and they managed to preserve the lead until the very end, securing the crucial three points, clinching their Champions League spot.
Man United told to sign Osimhen
Legit.ng earlier reported that former Manchester United defender Rafael has advised coach Ruben Amorim to intensify Victor Osimhen's pursuit.
The former Brazil international attributed much of United’s recent struggles to the inconsistency of their forwards.
Rafael believes Osimhen would bring the firepower needed to push the Red Devils into a top-three finish in the 2025/26 Premier League season and secure Champions League qualification.
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Source: Legit.ng
