Had Manchester City won, the Europa League spot would have gone to the league, had City finished in the European spots.
But the chances for the [Cherries](http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/cherries/clubnews/) are not zero – but they need a lot to go their way in the final week of the league and must win both of their remaining games of the season.
So, how can they qualify?
_(Image: Andoni Iraola)_ The first part, and the one that Andoni Iraola’s side can control, is to finish eighth – and they’ll need to win both their games to do that.
The four sides in the running for eighth are Brighton, Brentford, Fulham and the Cherries.
Bournemouth, on 53 points, have a game in hand – tonight’s match at Manchester City – and they host relegated Leicester on Sunday at the Vitality Stadium, five points off eighth.
Brighton, who beat Liverpool last night to move to that position on 58 points, travel to Tottenham Hotspur, shortly after Spurs’ Europa League final against Manchester United on Wednesday night.
Brentford, on 55 points, travel to Wolves off the back of a defeat to Fulham on Monday night.
The Cottagers, on 54 points, host Manchester City, who are chasing Champions League qualification and will hope to pick up results against the Cherries and the Cottagers this week to seal their spot at the pinnacle of European competition next season.
_(Image: Andoni Iraola)_ Andoni Iraola’s side currently have the best goal difference out of the sides, so they’ll hope to at least match the highest points of the quartet and hope that that remains the case come around 6pm on Sunday afternoon.
So – if the Cherries secure eighth, what else needs to happen for them to be in Europe?
In short, a lot depends on Chelsea.
If the Blues win their Conference League final against Real Betis next Wednesday, May 28, they would secure a spot in the Europa League.
Should they finish in a Champions League qualifying spot, that Europa League spot would not go to another English club.
But if they finish seventh, the Premier League will get another club in the Europa League and eighth will qualify for the Conference League.
If they finish sixth, and Newcastle, the winners of the League Cup, finish seventh, then again, the Premier League will gain another Europa League spot as Chelsea will have qualified for that competition through the Conference League and the Premier League spot will drop to the Magpies.
But all this is a moot point if Chelsea fail to beat Betis, or finish in the top five.
So next Wednesday night, if Chelsea do not secure a top-five spot, fans of whichever team secures eighth place will be cheering on the Blues.