Nottingham Forest’s 2-2 draw with Leicester City at the City Ground was marred by a post-match incident involving owner Evangelos Marinakis and manager Nuno Espírito Santo.

Marinakis confronted Nuno on the pitch over the decision to keep an injured Taiwo Awoniyi on the field, leading to criticism from pundits who deemed the behaviour inappropriate.

The match itself was a rollercoaster. Forest took the lead through Morgan Gibbs-White, but Leicester equalized via Jamie Vardy, marking his 300th start for the club. Anthony Elanga restored Forest’s lead, but a late goal from Facundo Buonanotte ensured the points were shared. Despite dominating possession and creating numerous chances, Forest couldn’t secure the win, leaving them seventh in the Premier League, just one point behind fifth-placed Chelsea.

The incident drew widespread criticism. Pundits like Ally McCoist and Gabby Agbonlahor described Marinakis’s actions as “embarrassing” and “absolutely ridiculous,” emphasizing it undermined the manager and disrupted team unity. Gary Neville also weighed in, labelling the confrontation as “scandalous.”

In response to the backlash, Marinakis issued a statement expressing his frustration over the handling of Awoniyi’s injury but also praising the team’s achievement in securing European football for the first time in 30 years. He emphasized unity and his ongoing support for Nuno and the squad.

As Forest prepares for their final matches against West Ham and Chelsea, the club must navigate internal tensions while aiming to secure a Champions League spot.