In the end it was a close run thing. Both Arsenal and Tottenham got the wins they required which put the former into the Top Four along with the financial windfall of the Champions League.
For the second year in a row, Spurs have come so near yet so far away which leaves Gareth Bale in a crucial position.
The Premier League Player of the Year carried the the North London club on his back all year, including the typically glorious winner against Sunderland yesterday.
But he may feel that it is time to take the weight off his shoulders after the failure to join Europe's elite.
Bale and the heirarchy at Spurs know that he is a player that should be starring in the Champions League, and Tottenham's inability to jump that hurdle will make it harder for them to push on.
Without the finances and lustre of the Champions League, it will make it harder for the club to attract the world class talent that could take Tottenham to the next level and complement a player of Bale's quality.
The Welsh attacker has no shortage of suitors with Real Madrid, Manchester United, Manchester City and PSG all showing an interest.
And at 23, he is at an important age. A much improved and more varied footballer even compared to 12 months ago, he may not have reached his peak yet.
His next move, regardless of the destination, is likely to be the place where he does hit the heights of his powers.
Of course Tottenham are the club that has helped him reach his current level and stuck by him when he was under criticism early into his career, which deserves acknowledgement and a certain degree of loyalty.
But Bale also deserves to be playing alongside European football's elite players, not just for reasons of status, but also to develop further.
Of course Tottenham could qualify for the Top Four next season. But that seems unlikely the longer they miss out on the financial benefits of elite European football.
Recent financial figures revealed that Spurs earned €100 million less than Arsenal last season, with the difference explained by lack of Champions League football and the relatively small size of White Hart Lane.
In many ways by running Chelsea and Arsenal close, they are punching above their weight and in no small part, aided by Gareth Bale who broke the 20-goal barrier in the league.
He may not want to wait around to wait and see whether Spurs can develop in the long-term, although he must be careful not to harm his own long-term development by going to the wrong club at the wrong time.
