Bournemouth secured a place in the Europa League for the first time in their history after a 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest on the final day of the Premier League season, though their hopes of Champions League qualification were dashed by results elsewhere. Andoni Iraola's side finished sixth with a club-record 57 points, their best-ever top-flight finish.
Morgan Gibbs-White gave Forest the lead with a free-kick, but Adrien Truffert set up Marcus Tavernier to equalise before half-time. Bournemouth needed Aston Villa to lose at Manchester City and Liverpool to beat Brentford to snatch a top-five spot, but Villa's shock 2-1 win at the Etihad and Liverpool's failure to win ended those dreams.
Iraola described the achievement as 'the most incredible' in the club's history, with Bournemouth completing the second half of the season unbeaten. The Spaniard was serenaded by fans waving Basque flags, and even Forest supporters applauded the visitors off. 'I think I enjoyed every second with the fans, the players,' Iraola said.
Gibbs-White, left out of Thomas Tuchel's England squad despite 19 Premier League goal contributions, said: 'I know I have done more than enough to be in the squad. I just got on the wrong side of someone's opinion.' He added that he respected Tuchel for informing him personally.
Bournemouth's rise from the Championship four years ago and near-bankruptcy 17 years ago made the achievement all the more remarkable. 'It is so nice to finish like this,' Iraola added, as fans celebrated with inflatable planes and a giant 'Rayanair' flag.
