Eddie Howe is savouring the feeling of Newcastle qualifying for the Champions League for the second time in three years.
The Magpies lost on the final day of the Premier League season, but due to Aston Villa losing, claimed the final spot behind Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea.
It has been a brilliant season for Howe’s side, who also won their first piece of silverware in 70 years after lifting the Carabao Cup in February.
And now the famous North-East side have European football to look forward to next term, alongside two derbies against promoted rivals Sunderland.
Speaking after the game, Howe said: “It feels great, the achievement is huge. Naturally, when you lose the game there’s a feeling of disappointment but I think we have to override that with [the fact that] over the 38 games, we deserved to qualify for the competition. It’s a huge moment for the club.
“Throughout this year there have been so many things, not just mentally but tactically and the game evolves so quickly. It’s been a brilliant Premier League season. I think we had a difficult summer, I think there was an overhang of that early in the season.
"A special season does have its happy ending." 🥹 pic.twitter.com/MiFK2cyAkq
— Newcastle United (@NUFC) May 25, 2025
“We had to fight really hard to overcome that and come back in the manner that we did, we can’t thank the players enough this year. We’ve got a great group who give their all in every game and that’s all we can ask for. Today, I think we did that. We tried to win the game, but it wasn’t to be.”
