Bournemouth secure Europa League
Bournemouth seal historic Europa League place after remarkable Premier League campaign
AFC Bournemouth will play European football for the first time in the club’s history after sealing qualification for the UEFA Europa League following a remarkable Premier League season.
The Cherries secured a sixth-place finish on the final day of the campaign, capping an extraordinary rise for a club that was playing in League One little more than a decade ago.
Andoni Iraola’s side had briefly harboured hopes of an unlikely Champions League place heading into the final weekend, with results elsewhere potentially opening the door to a sixth English qualification spot. But Aston Villa’s victory over Manchester City ensured Bournemouth would instead head into the Europa League.
That outcome does little to diminish what has been a landmark campaign on the south coast.
Bournemouth finished above several established Premier League clubs to secure the highest league placing in their history and one of English football’s biggest recent success stories. Reuters reported Iraola describing European qualification as the “perfect ending” to his time at the Vitality Stadium amid expectations he will leave the club this summer.
The achievement is even more impressive given Bournemouth’s squad turnover over the past 12 months, with key departures forcing another rebuild before the season began.
Supporters now face the prospect of famous European nights at the Vitality Stadium, with UEFA venue requirements likely to become a major talking point over the coming weeks. The club have never previously competed in a European competition in their 126-year history.
Bournemouth’s qualification means the Premier League will have at least eight clubs competing in Europe next season, with Crystal Palace also able to add another English representative should they win the UEFA Conference League final later this week.