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By KIERAN GILL Published: 03: 40 AEST, 26 May 2025 | Updated: 05: 16 AEST, 26 May 2025 6 View comments Chelsea beat Nottingham Forest in a hard-earned win to secure Champions League football for next season. Enzo Maresca's side finished fourth in the Italian's maiden season in charge, meaning Chelsea will return to Europe's top competition for the first time in three seasons. Forest, meanwhile, return to Europe after four decades away but will have to make do with a Europa Conference League spot after securing a 7th placed finish. Levi Colwill scored the only goal of the game for Blues in the 50th minute, tapping in at the back post after Pedro Neto squared the ball to the defender.    Nuno Espirito Santo's men pushed but were unable to score an equaliser, with Chris Wood firing over the crossbar in stoppage time. Here, Mail Sport's KIERAN GILL provides player ratings from the City Ground.   Levi Colwill scored the only goal of the game to give Chelsea a hard earned win against Forest Chelsea will compete in the Champions League for the first time in three seasons in 2025-26 Nottingham Forest end the season in seventh and will compete in the Conference League Nottingham Forest (4-3-1-2) Matz Sels – 6 Could have completed a crossword in the first half when he had zero shots to save, but unable to avoid conceding the opener after fortune favoured the visitors. Ola Aina – 6. 5 His gorgeous cross so nearly led to Wood scoring the opener for Forest. What could have been. Cucurella had to beware his runs in behind off the ball as Aina constantly surged forward. Nikola Milenkovic – 6 Milenkovic looked like he could swallow Chelsea’s makeshift striker Neto whole if he fancied it, which made for some amusing battles for long balls. Murillo – 6 Managed to start following his injury scare and was as robust as ever, crunching into challenges and showing his strength. Neco Williams – 6 His attempt at heading clear Cucurella’s scuffed ball in behind helped Chelsea as it slowed it up enough for Neto to set up Colwill for 1-0. Levi Colwill tapped in at the back post after Pedro Neto squared the ball to the defender Taiwo Awoniyi was welcomed onto the pitch after his emergency surgery for a horror injury Nuno Espirito Santo's side will compete in Europe for the first time in more than four decades Nicolas Dominguez – 6 Was on the receiving end of a sore one when Madueke tried desperately to avoid losing the ball, and it forced him out of the game after 67 minutes as the physios helped him down the tunnel. Ibrahim Sangare – 6 Forest fans appreciated his refusal to give up on harassing Palmer. Nice player, Sangare, but was sacrificed when they fell 1-0 down as Hudson-Odoi came on. Elliot Anderson – 5. 5 Cautioned for a scissoring challenge on Madueke when Chelsea’s winger had beaten him. Morgan Gibbs-White – 5. 5 Disappointed with himself for not managing to play in Elanga when he had made his burst in behind before half-time, with his pass being intercepted. Chris Wood – 5 Just could not apply a delicate enough touch to finish Aina’s cross for the lead, and then messed up another chance in stoppage time when Forest were chasing the game. Anthony Elanga – 6 Brought the energy to Forest’s front line but his runs simply weren’t found as Chelsea’s defence dealt well with the Forest threat overall. Chris Wood blasted Forest's best chance over the bar in stoppage time of the second half Forest players were dejected after they missed out on Champions League qualification SUBS Callum Hudson-Odoi (for Sangare, 57) Ryan Yates (for Dominguez, 68) Jota Silva (for Aina, 83) – N/A NOT USED Carlos Miguel Morato Harry Toffolo Ramon Sosa Danilo Willy-Arnaud Boly MANAGER Nuno Espirito Santo – 5. 5 Just could not get the win he needed, but ending the season with a loss should not overshadow the job he has done with Forest this term. Chelsea (4-2-3-1) Robert Sanchez – 7 Can still frighten the bejeezus out of fans when using his feet, but I'll give him this: he's good at collecting crosses. Lucky Wood did not tap in Aina's ball before the break, mind. Reece James – 7 Did well to get back to stop an attack led by Gibbs-White when Chelsea’s defence was split open by a single pass from the middle. The visitors needed their captain here. Chelsea face Real Betis in Poland on Wednesday in the Europa Conference League final Reece James celebrated following confirmation Chelsea qualified for the Champions League Evangelos Marinakis looked unimpressed as Forest missed out on finishing in the top five Tosin Adarabioyo – 7 Started over Chalobah, who could leave this summer, as Maresca wanted his eldest and arguably most experienced player to be his leader at the back. A big defensive showing from him here. Levi Colwill – 7. 5 In the right place at the right time to tap in Neto’s attempt as one of Chelsea’s own put them in charge of their own Champions League destiny. A nice moment for him personally. Marc Cucurella – 7 Inverted into midfield from left back and it was his ball knocked forward which led to the opening goal. He may be a wind-up to opponents, but Chelsea love him. Enzo Fernandez – 6 Cross through the six-yard box was wasted – perils of not having a striker on the pitch – but this was otherwise not one of Fernandez’s best performances in the Chelsea shirt, truth be told. Moises Caicedo – 7 Chelsea’s player of the season picked up a caution after Taylor felt pressured by the Forest fans. He's now started all 38 of their Premier League matches this term. Vital. Noni Madueke – 6. 5 Probably Chelsea’s biggest threat when he had the ball on the right-hand side in the first half. Madueke looked knackered as he was substituted after 86 minutes. Cole Palmer – 6 Constantly dropped deep and towards the left of the pitch in search of possession, but it was from the right where his cross should have been buried by Neto. Chelsea finish the season in fourth in Enzo Maresca's first season in charge at Stamford Bridge Cole Palmer constantly dropped deep and towards the left of the pitch in search of possession Jadon Sancho – 5. 5 Not the type of performance which will convince Chelsea they ought to commit to signing him permanently from Manchester United as he made way for Lavia. Pedro Neto – 6. 5 Cocked up Chelsea’s best chance of the first half by sending Palmer’s pass over the crossbar, but he managed to get the ball trickling into Colwill’s path for 1-0. SUBS Romeo Lavia (for Sancho, 62) Malo Gusto (for Neto, 78) – N/A Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (for Madueke, 86) – N/A NOT USED Filip Jorgensen Benoit Badiashile Trevoh Chalobah Noni Madueke was probably Chelsea’s biggest threat when he had the ball on the right side Tyrique George Josh Acheampong Marc Guiu MANAGER Enzo Maresca – 7 Chelsea are in the Champions League after he orchestrated a win with a strategy which, while not pretty, was certainly effective at the City Ground. REFEREE Anthony Taylor – 6 Judging by the Forest supporters’ shouts around the press box, they aren’t fans of Taylor’s, but he did fine here.

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