While Arsenal fans can relax after their club clinched a spot in next season's Champions League, Tottenham must wait another six days before learning whether fourth place in England's Premier League brings a similar reward.
Arsenal was on the verge of handing third place to its fierce north London rival when it trailed 2-1 at West Bromwich Albion on Sunday's final day of the season.
But Spurs' comfortable 2-0 win over Fulham was rendered meaningless as Andre Santos equalized and Laurent Koscielny scored a 54th-minute winner for the Gunners.
Fourth place normally secures a spot in the qualifying rounds - Arsenal went that way last season and Tottenham did it the year before - but if Chelsea beats Bayern Munich in the Champions League final on Saturday, the Blues will clinch a spot in next season's competition at Tottenham's expense.
Spurs manager Harry Redknapp just tried to look at the situation positively.
''Fourth position, I couldn't have asked for more than that,'' Redknapp said. ''I look at the league and I'm not silly. You think Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, who have spent a fortune.
''If we could have got in there, we would have been delighted and that is how I am about it all. We have finished fourth and I couldn't be more pleased.''
Tottenham fans will be cheering Bayern Munich on Saturday, just as they cheered news of West Brom's goals against Arsenal.
The Gunners led after just four minutes through Yossi Benayoun but West Brom, in Roy Hodgson's final game as manager before he takes over as England coach, hit back twice in the next 11 minutes.
''I could hear the crowd cheer but I was only concerned with us winning today,'' Redknapp said. ''All that mattered was that we won the game because if we didn't win today, Newcastle could have won at Everton and we'd have been fifth.
''It was just important we won the game and that was the only concern I had.''
Jermain Defoe put Tottenham ahead in only the second minute and Emmanuel Adebayor doubled Spurs' advantage in the 63rd with his 17th goal of the season. But Andre Santos and Koscielny had already scored for Arsenal by then.
Redknapp said hitting fourth place again next season could be even harder.
''When we finished fourth (in 2010), Man City were just arriving. It is going to be even more difficult next year,'' Redknapp said. ''Man United and Man City are not going to be out of the top four: that's impossible. So you are looking for two places. Chelsea? I don't think Mr. Abramovich will stand for them finishing outside the top four again.
''So suddenly there is Arsenal, us, Liverpool, Newcastle all scrapping. And who knows? A Russian could come along and buy someone like Wigan and then they will be pushing for the league. That's how it works isn't it?''
Arsenal can at least contemplate a 15th straight Champions League season, something that looked unlikely earlier this season.
''I cannot say the season has been a failure,'' Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. ''We have qualified for the 15th time. Only three clubs have done that in Europe. That means it's not as easy as it looks.
''We were 17th in the league and in the first seven games we had lost four of them. When you have played seven games, there are 31 to go. It's very difficult to imagine you can finish third.''
Wenger will hope the lure of top club football helps persuade star striker Robin van Persie to sign a new contract before he links up with the Netherlands for the European Championship, replacing the one that has just one year to run.
''Will Champions League football help to keep Van Persie? It makes it easier to attract good players and keep them,'' Wenger said. ''The intention is to speak with him before he leaves for the Dutch camp.''
