Robert Lewandowski scored twice as La Liga champions Barcelona wrapped up their domestic treble-winning season with a comfortable victory at Athletic Club.
26 May 2025
Having sealed their 28th league title with two games to spare, Hansi Flick's men scored their 100th goal of the league campaign with the 14th-minute opener.
Lewandowski expertly chipped home goalkeeper Unai Simon, before he doubled the lead only three minutes later, arriving at the back post to head home following Raphinha's inswinging corner.
The goals were his 27th in the league, and 40th overall, this season.
Substitute Dani Olmo sealed the victory from the penalty spot in the fourth minute of added time as Barca finished the campaign with 88 points from 28 wins and four draws.
They finished four clear of Real Madrid as German Flick won the La Liga, Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup titles during his first season in charge of Barca.
Despite his side's first-half dominance, Athletic Club had two good chances to reduce the deficit before the break - both falling to Maroan Sannadi, who should have done better.
The 24-year-old striker failed to hit the target from six yards out after getting on the end of Unai Nunez's cross.
Sannadi then poked wide with only visiting goalkeeper Inaki Pena to beat after being played through on goal by his captain Oscar de Marcos, who was making his 570th and final appearance for the Bilbao outfit.
Lewandowski, who has only Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe (31) ahead of him in the La Liga scoring charts this season, passed up chances to complete his hat-trick early in the second half.
Athletic Club went close again when Barca centre-back Pau Cubarsi's defensive header from Alex Berenguer's free-kick rattled the crossbar.
De Marcos received a standing ovation from the San Mames crowd as he was substituted in the 89th minute, passing the captain's armband to future captain Inaki Williams.
But it was Barca who had the last word as Olmo scored from the spot in the stoppage time after he was brought down in the box by Yuri Berchiche.
The hosts, who had secured their Champions League qualification before the final day, finished fourth, level on 70 points with fifth-placed Villarreal.
Newcastle United sealed their golden ticket to the Champions League despite Everton securing a deserved victory at St James' Park.
25 May 2025
Eddie Howe's side started the day in fourth place in the Premier League and on course for Europe's elite competition, but looked in danger of missing out as they produced a performance riddled with nerves.
Everton, in 13th place before kick-off after their rejuvenation under manager David Moyes, were more composed and ordered, taking the lead through Carlos Alcaraz's header after 65 minutes.
Newcastle's supporters were in a state of high anxiety until news filtered through that Manchester United were ahead against Aston Villa, sparking scenes of wild delight inside St James' Park when the final result of that game came through.
Defeat means the Magpies end the season in fifth place - enough to secure a place in the Champions League next season, with the Premier League's allocation up from the usual four spots.
Qualification caps an outstanding campaign for Newcastle, who won their first domestic trophy in 70 years - and their first silverware at all since 1969 - by beating Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.
Manchester City finished third in the Premier League as they beat Fulham on the final day to ensure a place in the Champions League next term.
25 May 2025
Pep Guardiola's fallen champions - they went into the season on the back of four straight Premier League titles - have endured a miserable campaign, failing to win a major trophy for the first time since 2017 and ending 13 points behind champions Liverpool.
City dominated the opening stages and deservedly took the lead on 21 minutes courtesy of Ilkay Gundogan's stunning bicycle kick - his first league goal of the campaign - after Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno pushed Matheus Nunes' cross into the German's path.
Fulham, though, responded well as Harry Wilson's low curling effort was tipped away from goal by Ederson at full stretch, with Andreas Pereira only able to find the side-netting as he followed up.
Josko Gvardiol saw a header saved by Leno at point-blank range and Erling Haaland added a second from the penalty spot after Jorge Cuenca's trip on Gundogan.
Fulham could not find a way back and defeat was their 10th since the turn of the year, meaning they end the campaign in 12th position.
Levi Colwill's goal clinched Chelsea's place in the Champions League next season with a narrow and nervy win at Nottingham Forest, who qualified for the Uefa Conference League despite defeat.
25 May 2025
The defender's second-half strike saw Enzo Maresca's side finish fourth in the Premier League and end Forest's own hopes of returning to Europe's top table.
Chelsea can prepare for the Champions League - a goal which was expected and demanded - with Maresca confirming their transfer targets depended on what competition they are in next season.
Victory also gave them the perfect platform for Wednesday's Conference League final against Real Betis in Poland.
Yet it was disappointment for Forest, who survived on the final day last term, but even after missing out on the top five their season and seventh place is a success.
Two wins in their final eight games saw them ultimately fall away having sat in the top four for large parts and they will now play in the Conference League, three years after returning to the top flight after a 23-year absence.
They end the campaign winless in four at home and could not rediscover their form as a tense game initially struggled to live up to its billing.
While intriguing, it lacked the drama of a shootout for a Champions League place.
Pedro Neto and Chris Wood turned over the bar in the first half but there was little action, though that changed when Colwill turned the ball home from close range five minutes after the break.
The hosts could not respond - there was plenty of effort but little quality, and Wood fired over in stoppage time to miss their best chance.
In what has been the worst kept secret in the footballing world, Xabi Alonso has been announced as Real Madrid's new manager.
25 May 2025
After announcing this month that he would leave Bayer Leverkusen this summer, the former Real and Liverpool midfielder has signed a three-year deal at the Bernabeu as Carlo Ancelotti's successor.
It is an inevitable, if bittersweet, conclusion to Ancelotti's second spell at Madrid.
So finally, we have the much expected transition, with the Italian legend stepping aside to take charge of Brazil and the young pretender returning to the Bernabeu.
This changing of the guard, from the club's most decorated coach to a rising star in management, is symbolic. It marks the end of an era and the beginning of a fascinating new one.
A situation facilitated by the innate reasonableness of Bayer Leverkusen who, true to their word, stood by the gentlemen's agreement between coach and club that they would not stand in Alonso's way should he receive an offer he could not refuse.