Bournemouth sit sixth, four points off the top five, with matches at home to Manchester City on Tuesday and away at Nottingham Forest on Sunday still to play. Sixth place would guarantee Europa League football. It could even deliver Champions League qualification if Aston Villa win the Europa League final and finish fifth in the Premier League, which would free up their league position.
Iraola, who joined from Rayo Vallecano in 2023 replacing Gary O'Neil, will leave when his contract expires this summer. He spoke with measured excitement about the scale of what remains within reach.
"It would be the best way to finish these amazing three seasons. Especially this year, it has been really challenging for me as a coach because we've changed the team a lot. Not completely our style, but it's a different type of football compared to last season. It would be the best way to end it."
He was careful not to treat the result as a foregone conclusion despite the mathematics.
"We are really close, but there is a big difference between being really close and getting it and grabbing it."
Bournemouth are currently on a 16-match unbeaten run — the longest in the Premier League this season — stretching back to a defeat against league leaders Arsenal on January 3.
The run began, notably, after the club sold Antoine Semenyo to Manchester City in the January transfer window. Semenyo returns to the Vitality Stadium on Tuesday with City, having scored the FA Cup final winner against Chelsea at Wembley last weekend.