Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has addressed the incident in which he confronted manager Nuno Espirito Santo on the pitch following the club’s 2-2 draw with Leicester City. The exchange occurred after Forest’s hopes of securing a Champions League spot suffered a significant setback due to the late equalizer by Leicester.
Marinakis explained that his frustration was a “natural” reaction fueled by the team’s faltering Champions League ambitions and a specific incident involving striker Taiwo Awoniyi, whose injury and the medical staff’s misjudgment over his ability to continue playing contributed to the tension. The owner emphasized pride in the team’s historic achievement of qualifying for European competition for the first time in 30 years, promising continued belief and effort in the remaining Premier League fixtures.
Nuno Espirito Santo also commented on the confrontation, describing football as an emotional sport and clarifying that the owner’s reaction stemmed from a misunderstanding regarding Awoniyi’s substitution situation rather than any personal conflict. Despite the heated moment, Nuno expressed pride in the progress made, having guided Forest from relegation danger in 2024 to European qualification prospects in 2025.
The draw leaves Nottingham Forest seventh in the Premier League, just outside the Champions League places, with two games remaining. They face West Ham next, followed by a decisive final match against Chelsea. While Champions League qualification is no longer fully in their hands, Forest have secured at least a Europa Conference League spot, marking a significant milestone for the club.
The incident attracted widespread attention and criticism, with pundits like Gary Neville calling the public confrontation “scandalous.” However, both Marinakis and Nuno have defended the passionate exchange as a reflection of their commitment to the club and its ambitions.
In Marinakis’s own words:
“Today is a day for celebration, because after 30 years Nottingham Forest is now guaranteed to be competing on the European stage once again – a promise I made to our supporters when we achieved promotion! With two more games to go in the Premier League, we must keep believing and keep dreaming, right to the final kick in the final game. We are extremely proud and close to Nuno and the team, and we must all celebrate the historic achievements of this season. This is natural, this is a demonstration of the passion we feel for our club. Let’s all be grateful, passionate and keep on dreaming!”