Chelsea has secured a spot in the UEFA Champions League at the expense of Nottingham Forest

Chelsea has secured a spot in the UEFA Champions League at the expense of Nottingham Forest, following a 1-0 victory at the City Ground, courtesy of Levi Colwill’s decisive goal. While Forest missed out on Champions League qualification, they will participate in a European competition for the first time since the 1995/96 season, when they reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup under manager Frank Clark.

Chelsea’s win marked their first away victory in the Premier League with a clean sheet since September, when they triumphed 3-0 against West Ham United. This victory also represented only their second win in the last 11 league matches on the road (with three draws and six losses). For Forest, this match marked their first home defeat to a top-six opponent in the Premier League this season, having previously gone unbeaten in five matches (two wins and three draws) leading up to the final day.

Chelsea’s starting XI in the Premier League this season had an average age of 24 years and 36 days, making it the youngest squad ever to compete in a single campaign within the league. Entering the final matchday of the 2024/25 season, Chelsea held a one-point lead over Forest, knowing that a victory would secure a top-five finish and extinguish their host’s hopes.

Forest needed a win combined with favorable results from other matches, but after 50 tense minutes, Pedro Neto set up Colwill for an easy close-range finish, delighting the travelling Chelsea supporters. Chris Wood had previously squandered a clear opportunity to give Forest the lead and missed another chance in stoppage time, while Nuno Espirito Santo’s side struggled to pose a significant threat after falling behind.

The outcome means Chelsea finishes fourth in the league, four points ahead of Forest, who conclude their commendable campaign in seventh place, qualifying for the UEFA Conference League. A year ago, Forest entered the final game of the 2023/24 season uncertain of their Premier League status, ultimately securing safety with a 2-1 win against Burnley, which relegated Luton Town.

This season, Forest approached the finale with a goal of securing a top-five finish, bolstered by a 2-1 victory over West Ham United the previous week. Nuno’s team needed other matches to favor them on Sunday, but victory was essential to keep their hopes alive. Their solid defensive record and rapid counterattacks had propelled them this far, and they remained resolute during a fiercely contested first half. Had Wood not miscontrolled a ball in front of goal, they might have gone into halftime with a lead.

At halftime, three of the four matches involving Champions League contenders remained goalless, offering hope to those at the City Ground, where striker Taiwo Awoniyi was present after undergoing abdominal surgery the previous week. However, after Colwill scored to put Chelsea ahead, Nuno may have regretted not having Awoniyi available off the bench. Forest pushed forward with a series of crosses into the Chelsea penalty area but failed to convert, with Wood struggling to make an impact.

Seventh place marks Forest’s best finish in the Premier League since 1994/95, when they ended in third. However, after seeing rivals Newcastle United and Aston Villa lose their matches on a dramatic final day, they may reflect on what could have been. Chelsea, having not participated in the Champions League since the 2022/23 season, faced a straightforward task: a victory would guarantee their return to the upper echelon of European football.

From the outset, it was evident that Chelsea would need to exert considerable effort to achieve this goal. With Nicolas Jackson still serving a suspension from his red card at Newcastle two weeks prior and Christopher Nkunku left out amid speculation regarding his future, Chelsea struggled to find their attacking rhythm in a first half devoid of shots on target from either side. It appeared that an unlikely hero was required, and Colwill rose to the occasion. His goal was facilitated by Neto, who anticipated Williams’ attempted clearance, allowing him to slide the ball past Matz Sels for an easy finish.