Skip to content

Nottingham Forest 1-1 Bournemouth: Cherries miss out on Champions League qualification in Andoni Iraola's final game

Report and free highlights as Nottingham Forest draw 1-1 with Bournemouth at the City Ground; Morgan Gibbs-White's well-worked first-half strike gave the hosts the lead; Marcus Tavernier's second-half effort brought visitors level; Cherries finish sixth, but miss out on Champions League

Richard Morgan

Senior Football Journalist @Richiereds1976

Sunday 24 May 2026 20:06, UK

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Highlights from the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth

Bournemouth missed out on Champions League qualification in Andoni Iraola's final game in charge of the club after being held to a 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest, with other results not going their way on the last day of the season.

The Cherries were already assured of European football next season for the first time in the club's 127-year history, but they needed both Liverpool and Manchester City to beat Brentford and Aston Villa at home, with neither side winning.

Marcus Tavernier's smartly taken second-half effort cancelled out Morgan Gibbs-White's well-worked 34th-minute opener, the playmaker's 18th goal in all competitions this season, 15 coming in the Premier League, just days after hr was excluded from Thomas Tuchel's England World Cup squad.

Marcus Tavernier celebrates after equalising for Bournemouth at Nottingham Forest
Image: Marcus Tavernier equalised for Bournemouth at Nottingham Forest

Team news:

  • Forest made two changes as Ibrahim Sangare made his first start since the end of April, while Jair Cunha also returned to the side.
  • Andoni Iraola unsurprisingly named an unchanged team from Tuesday's 1-1 draw with Man City
  • The visitors had to make a late change when Adam Scott was injured in the warmup, with Alex Toth, taking his place in midfield

As a result, Bournemouth ended the campaign sixth in the Premier League by extending their unbeaten league run to an impressive 18 games and will now compete in next season's Europa League under new boss Marco Rose.

The home side, meanwhile, ended the campaign in 16th, well clear of relegation, on what was an emotional day for Vitor Pereira's team and their fans following the unveiling of the new John Robertson stand in front of a whole host of club legends in attendance at the City Ground.

Morgan Gibbs-White celebrates his goal with team-mate Neco Williams
Image: Morgan Gibbs-White scored the opener

What the managers said...

Nottingham Forest boss Vitor Pereira:

"We [him and Gibbs-White] had a conversation. We can't do everything. We should do everything to get our targets and try to compete, the results we cannot control.

Also See:

"He did everything to deserve to be in the national team, but in the end it is not his decision. He is disappointed of course because he scores goals, assists, he's a leader, talent and real connector. In the end he's in a country with a lot of strong players.

Adam Smith is tracked by Morgan Gibbs-White
Image: Forest end the campaign 16th

"In my opinion we created a true spirit. Now we have a good environment, we feel confidence in each other.

"I believe if we want to compete for different goals, we need to keep the best players. If not, it will be difficult to be consistent and build something stronger."

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Andoni Iraola paid an emotional tribute to his Bournemouth players after his final game in charge, saying he would miss them and loved them

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola:

"I feel so happy because I could not ask for much more.

"I didn't want to lose today, I wanted to finish sixth. Also I wanted to finish the season without losing so we can do the second half of the season unbeaten. This is the most difficult achievement we've got.

"I enjoyed every second with the fans, with the players. It's nice to finish like this, something to celebrate. Honestly happy and in the changing room we were celebrating like we should.

Evanilson has a shot on goal at the City Ground
Image: Bournemouth have secured European football next season

"I knew it would be almost impossible to get Europe but the owner told me we want to stay in the Premier League, but I wanted Europe.

"For me to finish this season giving back to the owner, players, supporters, this European qualification is just one way of thanking everyone."

Story of the match in stats

What's next?

Already thinking about the 2026/27 Premier League season?

There's a World Cup to fit in first - follow live blogs of every game on the Sky Sports App - but the key dates are locked in for next term, when Sky Sports will once again show at least 215 live Premier League games.

Here's your summer diary:

June 11: World Cup starts - day-by-day fixture list

June 14: Scotland's opener vs Haiti (2am)

June 15: Summer transfer window opens

June 17: England's opener vs Croatia (9pm)

June 19: Premier League fixtures released (10am)

July 19: World Cup final

August 22-23: Premier League opening weekend

August 27: Champions League league phase draw

September 1: Transfer Deadline Day (window closes at 11pm UK time)

September 8-10: Champions League matchday 1

May 30, 2027: Premier League final day

Play Super 6!
Play Super 6!

Play Super 6 for a chance to win £250k! Enter for free.

Around Sky

Sign up for Sky Sports push notifications

Not got Sky? Get instant access to Sky Sports with no contract