Tensions rose after Forest owner appeared to confront coach on the pitch, but the club insists any reports of internal conflict are unfounded
Nottingham Forest have dismissed widespread claims of a bust-up between owner Evangelos Marinakis and manager Nuno Espirito Santo following Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Leicester, calling any reports “fake news” and criticising public figures for fuelling “baseless” speculation.
Tensions appeared high at the City Ground after Forest surrendered a 2-0 lead, a result that dented their already slim Champions League hopes. Cameras caught a bizarre moment when Forest owner Marinakis strode onto the pitch after the final whistle, and then spoke animatedly with Nuno in front of the dugout.
The action was condemned by many pundits, with Sky Sports’ Gary Neville going as far as suggesting Nuno should “walk away” from the club.
But Forest released a strongly worded statement on Tuesday, rejecting the suggestion of any fallout and calling for restraint from pundits and commentators who they say lack the full context of what happened.
“There was only shared frustration between all of us that the medical team should never have allowed the player to continue,” the club’s statement read.
“In light of this, we urge former coaches and players, and other public figures in the game, to resist the urge to rush to judgement and fake news online, especially when they do not have the full facts and context.”
The incident stemmed from confusion surrounding injured striker Taiwo Awoniyi, who appeared to struggle physically late in the game but was not substituted. Nuno explained post-match that the Nigeria forward remained on the pitch due to a miscommunication between the medical and coaching departments.
Marinakis was seen remonstrating near the technical area and later walked down the tunnel with a stern expression, which some interpreted as a show of dissatisfaction with Nuno’s decision-making.
Forest insisted the backlash directed at their owner was “ill-informed” and was more about social media content than fact. “Baseless and ill-informed outrage for the purposes of personal social media traction serves no one, least of all the injured player,” the club added.
Awoniyi has since undergone surgery for what the club confirmed was an abdominal injury. He is said to be recovering well, with Forest sharing their support for the forward on X: “Everyone at Nottingham Forest sends their best wishes to Taiwo.”
