This season's Premier League highlights: Bournemouth and Sunderland celebrate success

Behind this season's Premier League top five are two new waves from Bournemouth and Sunderland. They couldn't qualify for the Champions League, yet the Europa League tickets for these two clubs carry great historical weight.

Without Bournemouth's consistent presence in the Premier League from 2022 onward, few would know much about this city spanning roughly 40 km² in the Dorset region of southern England.

Bournemouth's memorable 6th-place finish

Before reaping the rewards this season, Bournemouth endured their darkest days 18 years ago when they began the 2007-08 campaign in England's third tier (League Two) with a -17 point deduction. Many thought they would soon vanish from English professional football. Bournemouth is no stranger to the Premier League, having spent five years from 2015 to 2020, but their highest finish during that period was 9th in the 2016-17 season.

This season's 6th place is not just Bournemouth's best result in the Premier League era. It also paves the way for their first-ever continental appearance. Bournemouth will no longer be merely a famous summer tourist destination in England. The city is ready to welcome fans from across Europe to the Vitality Stadium for next season's Europa League matches. Some may feel regret that Andoni Iraola's squad couldn't fulfill their Champions League dream. Aston Villa, this season's Europa League champions, finished 4th overall, so the Premier League had only a maximum of five Champions League slots. But that doesn't dampen Bournemouth's spirits. It's the finest gift Iraola gave the club before bidding farewell to the Vitality after three years. Tavernier scored the goal that secured Bournemouth's Europa League spot, but the assist came from Adrien Truffert. The French defender was a bargain for Bournemouth, costing only £11 million from Rennes. Marco Rose, Iraola's successor at the Vitality, knows exactly what he needs to do to maintain Bournemouth's standing next season.

Sunderland: From the Championship to the Europa League in four years

Unlike Bournemouth's gradual rise, Sunderland was the strongest among the three promoted sides this Premier League season. But few expected Regis Le Bris's team to earn a European ticket in their first year back in England's top flight. It wasn't until the final matchday that Sunderland saw a narrow path to European qualification. The conditions: beat Chelsea and hope for favorable results elsewhere. Sunderland made the FIFA Club World Cup champion bow out of the Stadium of Light, with Le Bris's men dominating the game. Chelsea finished the season in 10th place, leaving Xabi Alonso with a huge challenge in rebuilding the Blues.

As for Sunderland, they continue to write a fairy tale that began four years ago. When Trai Hume, who scored the opening goal against Chelsea, moved to the Stadium of Light in January 2022, Sunderland were still playing in League One. He was persuaded by the club's vision of aiming higher, but the Northern Irish defender never imagined he'd be the one to unlock Sunderland's Europa League ticket. Le Bris's incredible rise started with a play-off victory for promotion to the Championship in the summer of 2022. After two seasons finishing 6th and 16th, the French manager's arrival helped Sunderland reach the Premier League after an eight-year absence, with wins over Coventry and Sheffield United in the play-offs.

Now, Le Bris and his players will look ahead to their first continental campaign since the 1973-74 season. The 14 new signings Sunderland brought in last summer transformed the team dramatically in their debut Premier League season. Le Bris and his squad's ambitions won't stop at this season's 7th-place finish.