Analysis: Nottingham Forest 0-1 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest gave it their all but fell short. The disappointment of the final few weeks should not overshadow what has been a renaissance at the club, who return to Europe for the first time since 1996.

They ran out of steam, the last few weeks of the season proving too much for a side who looked like they would reach the Champions League in March.

Any recency bias could suggest the season has ended in failure but scatter the results through the entire season and finishing seventh is exceptional.

Nuno Espirito Santo has helped shape a squad that bounces off each other, where the players enjoy their team-mates' company - and that has been evident on the pitch.

The Conference League may not bring the riches of the Champions League, but Forest now go into a European competition with a viable chance of winning it - and an opportunity to build on the exceptional efforts of this season.