PSG’s Marquinhos rises the trophy after winning the French Cup final between Paris Saint-Germain and Reims at the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, May 24, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AP
Manchester City, Chelsea and Newcastle secured the remaining Champions League places on a dramatic final day of the Premier League season. Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest were the big losers on Sunday (May 25, 2025) — missing out in the race for the top five.
Villa was left with a sense of injustice after having a goal ruled out against Manchester United moments before going behind and eventually losing 2-0 at Old Trafford. A draw would have been enough for Unai Emery’s team on a day when Newcastle lost 1-0 at home to Everton.
Aston Villa has complained to the organisation overseeing match officials after Emery accused referee Thomas Bramall of making a “big mistake” that potentially cost the team a place in the lucrative Champions League.
Chelsea beat Forest 1-0 to secure a return to the Champions League after a two-year absence. City ended the season in third place with a 2-0 win against Fulham. Arsenal was second behind champion Liverpool.
Italy | Juventus scrapes through
Manuel Locatelli’s penalty earned Juventus a 3-2 win at Venezia on Sunday to secure his side a Champions League spot and relegate the hosts. Juventus end the season fourth in the standings, one point ahead of AS Roma, who have to settle for Europa League football despite a 2-0 win at Torino.
Napoli had won the league on Friday (May 23, 2025), edging out competition from second-placed Inter Milan, while Atalanta finished third.
Fiorentina’s 3-2 win away to Udinese means they finished sixth which gives them a place in the Conference League, after ending level on 65 points with Lazio but with a better head-to-head record.
Spain | Lewandowski brace ensures victorious end to Barcelona’s season in Bilbao
A rapid pair of goals by Robert Lewandowski early in the first half and a penalty by Dani Olmo deep in added time ensured a comfortable 3-0 victory for Barcelona over Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, ending the season on a high note for the LaLiga champions.
Barcelona ended their LaLiga campaign at the summit with 88 points, four ahead of Real Madrid, with Atletico Madrid third on 76 points. Athletic Bilbao and Villarreal round out the top five, ensuring their places in next season’s Champions League.
They are followed by Real Betis and Celta Vigo who will represent Spain in the Europa League while eighth-placed Rayo Vallecano booked a spot in the Conference League.
France | Barcola brace helps PSG to another French Cup heading to Champions League final
Bradley Barcola scored two goals and set one up as Paris Saint-Germain beat Reims 3-0 in the French Cup final on Saturday and stayed on course for its first continental treble.
The victory gave PSG a record-extending 16th French Cup — six more than next-best Marseille — and completed a domestic double after a record-extending 13th Ligue 1 title was sealed in dominant fashion.
The only trophy missing in the cabinet of the cash-rich Qatari-backed club is the Champions League’s. That might change next Saturday, when coach Luis Enrique’s PSG will attempt to win the continental for the first time when it faces Inter Milan in Munich.
England | Salah sweeps EPL awards, Man United coach Amorim apologises, Southampton with unwanted record
Already-relegated Southampton became the first team to lose 30 times in a Premier League campaign after they fell to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Arsenal in the season finale at St Mary’s Stadium on Sunday.
Arsenal, who were already guaranteed a place in next season’s Champions League after their 1-0 win against Newcastle United last weekend, secured a third successive second-placed Premier League finish. They finish the season 10 points behind champions Liverpool, while Southampton remain bottom.
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah won the Premier League Golden Boot for the fourth time in his career, matching the record set by former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry. The award is given each season to the leading goal scorer in the Premier League, with Salah scoring 29 times..
Salah also was awarded the Premier League Playmaker of the Season award, after leading the league with 18 assists. It is the second time Salah has completed the Golden Boot-Playmaker sweep twice in a career. Salah became the first player ever to win the Golden Boot, Golden Playmaker and Player of the Season awards in a single campaign.
Ruben Amorim apologised to Manchester United fans on Sunday for a “disastrous” season and vowed to bring the good times back to the fallen Premier League giant.
The 20-time English champion ended the campaign in 15th — its lowest finish in the modern era and just three places above the relegation zone.
Amorim is convinced he can return the club to the summit of European football. “Now we have to make a choice or we stay stuck in the past because this season is in the past. It’s over. We fight each other or we stick together and move forward,” he said.
(With inputs from Reuters, AP)
Published – May 26, 2025 11:40 am IST
Content Source: www.thehindu.com