There was joy and despair aplenty for Africa's stars in Europe's major leagues this weekend as the big five competitions concluded and various outstanding issues were settled.
Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi fell short with Leicester City in their bid to reach the UEFA Champions League, while Victor Osimhen was similarly disappointed as Napoli missed out on the top four in Italy.
Here are the big African storylines from the final weekend of Europe's big leagues.
The statistics that underpin Leicester City's failure to reach the UEFA Champions League again are simply astonishing.
Before losing against Chelsea on Monday, they had dropped out of the top four for only one game week -- the final matchday of the 2019-20 season -- across the past two campaigns.
Their destiny was in their own hands on Sunday, with Chelsea losing to Aston Villa, but they were undone by a Tottenham Hotspur side that had appeared listless against the Villains earlier in the week.
The Foxes fell to a 4-2 defeat that let Chelsea off the hook and left them fifth as the curtain fell on the season.
It was a bitter blow for Ndidi and Iheanacho, for whom last weekend's remarkable victory in the FA Cup final must have felt like a lifetime ago after back-to-back league defeats concluded such a promising campaign.
The resolve that accompanied that triumph was absent on Sunday, and the word "capitulation" again rings loud around the King Power Stadium.
Iheanacho may have won the club's Goal of the Season award for his delightful curling effort against Crystal Palace in April, but he was ineffective again against Spurs, with the FA Cup final having also passed him by.
Nonetheless, the striker can look back on the finest season of his career, in which he became the all-time top African goalscorer in the FA Cup and registered a career-high 12 goals in the Premier League.
Ndidi was more impressive in the season concluder, with the two-man midfield of him and Youri Tielemans largely holding their own against the visitors' midfield three before the Nigerian was deployed to centre-back to replace the injured Wesley Fofana.
Yet again, Ndidi has established himself as the most effective tackler in the league; he averaged 3.7 retrievals per match this season -- putting him top of the rankings -- and averaged the second-highest interceptions per match, after Leds Unitede's Liam Cooper.
The midfielder took to Instagram to express his disappointment after the defeat, and to pay tribute to two departing Foxes legends.
"Unfortunately we didn't hit our target but we come back stronger next season," he wrote on his @ndidi25 Instagram handle. "Big Wes Morgan and [Christian] Fuchs, it was a pleasure, wish you all the best."
Franco-Malian defender Fofana was withdrawn in some discomfort after 21 minutes. The 20-year-old was subsequently diagnosed with a torn hamstring and will miss the Under-21 Euros this summer.
Leicester's heartache was contrasted with joy at Anfield, where Sadio Mane returned to top form with a two-goal showing to down Crystal Palace and send the Reds into the Champions League.
Mohamed Salah was a livewire on the right flank, and registered an assist, while Mane delivered his best performance since netting twice against Chelsea in September.
Mane opened the scoring with a close-range finish in the 36th minute, and he added a second with a low effort that deflected beyond Vicente Guaita off Gary Cahill after being played in by Salah 16 minutes from time.
Not a bad ending to a season the Senegal man himself has identified as the worst of his career.
Chelsea also reach the Champions League regardless of their result in Saturday's final against Manchester City despite being defeated 2-1 by Bertrand Traore-inspired Villa.
The Burkina Faso attacker scored with a lovely looping effort in the 43rd minute -- his fourth goal involvement in his past six match -- to give the Midlanders the lead, and then earned the penalty for their second after being felled by Jorginho in the box.
Villa's own European hopes may have faded long ago, but back-to-back victories over Spurs and Chelsea sides with something to play for was a particularly strong end to their season.
In netting against his former club, Traore -- who was officially on the Blues' books between 2013 and 217 -- becomes the 25th ex-Chelsea player to score against the West Londoners in the Premier League.
For context, no side has had more of their ex-employees score against them in the top flight.
From Chelsea's point of view, the defeat wasn't as costly as it might have been but Thomas Tuchel and his side now face an anxious wait to see if Edouard Mendy, who was replaced in the 46th minute after colliding with the goalpost, will be fit for the Champions League final against Manchester City.
"[Mendy] will play if he's fit," Tuchel said in Monday's press conference.
If he's not fit on Wednesday, we will try on Thursday, and if [he's not fit] then, we will try on Friday.
"We will be reasonable and take responsibility for the decision, but at the same time, we have [confidence] if he can't make it as we have a strong guy in Kepa [Arrizabalaga] on the bench.
"The race is on. We are happy the images didn't show the injury was too serious, but every hour and day counts."
Also on Sunday's final day of Premier League action, Nicolas Pepe maintained his excellent recent form with a double as Arsenal defeated Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0.
The much-maligned wideman has five goals in his past three games -- the first time he's scored in three consecutive fixtures this season -- and he ends the season with 10 goals, double his return of last season.
It's reason for optimism, at least, that the Ivorian can yet realise the potential he showed at Lille to prompt the Gunners to part with €79 million to take him to the Emirates Stadium.
At Molineux, Anthony Elanga netted his first Manchester United league goal -- a delightful header following excellent work by Daniel James -- as the Red Devils defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1.
Elanga, the son of Cameroon international Joseph, has been with United since 2014 after joining their academy from Malmo FF.
No joy for Osimhen
In Italy, Victor Osimhen was one of Africa's most high-profile losers as Napoli stumbled at the death.
The Partenopei required a victory at home against Hellas Verona to secure a top-four finish, but they were held 1-1 at home and missed Champions League qualification with Juventus ultimately taking fourth.
It's a demoralising conclusion for Osimhen, particularly as former employers Lille clinched the French Ligue 1 title on the same day, and the jury remains out on his maiden season in Italy.
Ten goals in 24 outings is a modest return for a player who cost an initial €70 million, and the Nigerian's future now appears uncertain following Napoli's decision to part ways with his mentor, Gennaro Gattuso, at the season's conclusion.
Franck Kessie scored two penalties -- taking his tally for the season to 13 goals -- as AC Milan won 2-0 away at Atalanta to confirm their place in the Champions League for next season.
The Ivorian's goal haul this season is six more than his previous Serie A best.
Titles for Kondogbia, Reinildo
In Spain, Geoffrey Kondogbia became a champion as Atletico Madrid came from behind to defeat Real Valladolid 2-1 -- pipping rivals Real Madrid to the post in La Liga -- while Lille's Reinildo became the first Mozambican player to win a major European league as Les Dogues got over the line in France with a 2-1 victory at Angers.
There was disappointment, however, for Karl Toko Ekambi, whose double for Lyon wasn't enough for them to avoid a 3-2 home defeat by Nice.
The Cameroonian's efforts were in vain as OL finished fourth -- outside the Champions League places; Hassane Kamara and William Saliba scored the goals for Les Aiglons that denied Lyon Champions League football only to send Nice's fierce rivals, AS Monaco, to Europe's top table in their place.
