Nottingham Forest’s aspirations for securing a spot in next season’s Champions League encountered a hurdle following a 2-2 draw with Leicester City on Sunday. This stalemate didn’t sit well with Forest’s owner, Evangelos Marinakis, who was seen on the pitch engaging in what appeared to be a tense conversation with the team’s manager, Nuno Espirito Santo, after the match at the City Ground. Marinakis’ animated gestures during the interaction gave a glimpse of his dissatisfaction.
Speaking afterward, Espirito Santo remarked on the owner’s visible passion. “It’s due to Evangelos’ fervor for the club that we’ve seen growth. He constantly pushes us towards excellence, aiming for Nottingham Forest to ascend to the echelons of top clubs. Today, the energy felt by 30,000 fans echoed that sentiment, and I’m sure many of them wanted to be on that field expressing their emotions just as strongly,” said Espirito Santo.
Nottingham Forest’s rise to contest for a Champions League spot has been an astonishing development, especially considering the team was battling to avoid relegation last season. However, the outcome against Leicester, a team already destined for relegation, left Marinakis noticeably irked.
Despite the situation, Espirito Santo maintained his composure. He disclosed that the owner’s frustration was primarily linked to a mishap involving communication between the bench and medical team after striker Taiwo Awoniyi sustained an injury towards the end of the game. Marinakis later corroborated this viewpoint and expressed his pride in Espirito Santo’s leadership.
In an interesting turn, Marinakis stepped back from his previously significant control over Forest in recent weeks, which coincided with the club’s promising position in the Champions League qualifying race. This decision aligns with UEFA’s regulations, which prohibit club owners from wielding “decisive influence” over more than one club in the competition. Marinakis also holds the role of president at Olympiacos, the reigning champions in Greece.
With two fixtures remaining in the league schedule, Nottingham Forest finds itself in seventh place, sitting just one point behind Chelsea, who are currently in fifth spot. A position in the top five guarantees entry into Europe’s premier club competition.
The encounter saw Conor Coady giving Leicester the lead in the 16th minute, but Forest bounced back with goals from Morgan Gibbs-White and Chris Wood, steering them ahead. The advantage, however, was undermined late into the match when Facundo Buonanotte netted an equalizer in the 81st minute, leaving the match deadlocked at 2-2.