Premier League Comes to an End: All the Highlights of the 25-26 Season
All good things must come to an end. Another exciting Premier League season has come to a close, leaving fans with emotional memories of a season that was nothing short of thrilling. Now that the matches are officially over for the season, it is time for us to look back on the highlights of the year. Certainly, this Premier League did not disappoint, with teams rising and falling dramatically on the score table, equally causing joy and distress among the fans. After 38 Matchweeks, the champions and relegated teams have been decided, and it is time to move on. However, before we jump ahead to the upcoming season, let’s reminisce on the moments and teams that made it special this time around.
Arsenal Champions!
It took them 22 years to raise the Premier League cup once more, but the Gunners finally made it. After leading virtually the entirety of the season, Arsenal managed to end a major title drought before the end of the season. Manchester City’s 1-1 draw against Bournemouth last Tuesday resulted in the Gunners crowning themselves champions of one of the most competitive club soccer leagues in the world. Mikel Arteta’s crew did not have it easy; with the Citizens trailing close behind them, they could not afford a single moment of distraction. All is not yet over for the Gunners, though, as they are set to face Paris Saint-Germain this upcoming Saturday in the Champions League Final. With the confidence of being Premier League title holders, who knows what Arsenal will do next?
Tottenham Escapes Barely
It has been a hellish season for the Spurs, who found themselves on the verge of being relegated for the first time in their entire history. Three different coaches tried their hand at coaching Tottenham this season, the third one finally being the charm. After Thomas Frank walked out, chaotic Igor Tudor walked in, leaving the team in the relegation zone and quitting after only 43 days on the job. Roberto De Zerbi has clearly been a blessing to Tottenham, managing to get the team above the relegation zone. Under De Zerbi’s coaching, the team won its first match after losing the previous eight. Since then, De Zerbi has kept the team afloat, winning enough games for West Ham to stop being a threat. The job is not over, though, and De Zerbi still has a team to redeem next season.
Carrick Is Permanent
Michael Carrick had been appointed as interim coach of Manchester United in January, with his incredible performance quickly setting him aside as a future possibility for the team. Carrick won 11 out of the 16 games he coached for the Red Devils, and left Man United third in the Premier League table, earning them a spot in next season’s Champions League. The former Manchester United midfielder has been offered a two-year contract until 2028. His goals include making the Red Devils title contenders this upcoming season, which seems viable given all the success he achieved only after 16 games. The Englishman had been nominated for the Premier League Manager of the Season award next to the likes of Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta; he still has a bright future ahead.
Bournemouth on the Rise
A sixth place in the Premier League earned the Cherries their first-ever qualification to the UEFA Europa League. The team’s first Premier League season was back in 2015, and if we take relegations into consideration, they have only been steadily in the Premier League since 2022. There is no doubt that this is a great achievement for Bournemouth, who managed to place above five-time Premier League Champions, Chelsea. The Cherries were one win away from tying with Liverpool for fifth place and maybe making it to the Champions League, but let's be honest- this was a great achievement as well. Hopefully, the Cherries will keep up the good work in the following season, leaving a mark in the Europa League and showing bigger teams how it's done.
Final Thoughts
This season brought drama, excitement, sweat, and tears all at once to the table. We saw smaller teams rise over household names, and staple teams dramatically fall into the depths of the relegation zone. Fans also witnessed assistant coaches rising to the occasion and earning a well-deserved permanent position, as well as plenty of managers quitting in search of teams that felt like a better fit. More than anything, this year we saw Arsenal raise a cup that they had coveted for over two decades. One more year of Premier League magic deserves its moment. Buckle up because the fun is not over. In just a few weeks, we will get to see many of the same faces in the opening week of the FIFA World Cup.
