Nottingham Forest head coach, Nuno Espirito Santo, has revealed the situation that led to a bust between himself and the club's owner, Evangelos Marinakis, Soccernet.ng reports.
Taiwo Awoniyi collided with the cross bar in Forest's 2-2 draw against Leicester City and was writhing in pain, in an attempt to continue playing. Eventually he had to be subbed off and Forest continued the game with ten men.
Forest's draw diminished their hopes of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League and Marinakis came onto the turf after the full-time whistle, exchanging words with Nuno Espirito Santo about why the team continued with ten men.
Qué vergüenza me da esto.
Evangelos Marinakis, dueño del Nottingham Forest, ha saltado al campo para reprocharle el resultado de hoy a Nuno Espirito Santo, que los ha tenido en puestos europeos toda la temporada… Qué imagen más bochornosa.pic.twitter.com/1mto5n3uaK
— Álvaro de Grado (@AlvarodeGrado) May 11, 2025
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“It (the result) was disappointing for everybody. Unfortunately we had to play the last 10 minutes with one man less. Taiwo (Awoniyi) gave it a go but it was too painful for him to really push and help the team.
“There was a misunderstanding between the coaching staff and the medical department. We had the heads up to make a sub, then Taiwo tried but he could not.
“Disappointment and frustration of course, but it is because of the owner and his passion that we are growing as a club. He pushes us. He wants us to be better.
“It is his passion and desire to be a big club – 30,000 people felt the same today. For sure, many of them would go on the pitch and shake us down. Us as a club, we owe a lot to the Marinakis family,” the former Tottenham Hotspur manager said in quotes revealed by Nottingham Post.
“I have been in football so many years as a player and now as a coach. It is the passion and desire of the owner. The players feel it, we feel it and the fans feel it. We have to do better. Today it was our obligation to do better.”
Scandalous from that Forest owner. Nuno should go and negotiate his exit tonight with him! The Forest fans,players and manager do not deserve that
— Gary Neville (@GNev2) May 11, 2025
Ex-Manchester United defender, Gary Neville, opined that the whole situation was disrespectful to Nuno who has turned Forest fortunes around. Still, the club's coach responded in a mild tone, telling the former England International he can handle the weight of the circumstance he's currently in.
“I am not going to comment too much. I have huge respect for Gary Neville, he is the coach who replaced me when I was sacked at Valencia so he was a coach himself.
“He knows what it is like to be on the touchline. All the rest, please allow me. I do not want to proceed about the future and all these things. We are too disappointed.
“I have a dressing room with young boys who, through this season, made a big effort. We are tired and we are battered – you can see the end of the game. This is what I will take home today, how can I find better solutions for us? How can I help my players?”
