Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has released a statement addressing the incident where he went onto the pitch after the match and appeared to confront manager Nuno Espirito Santo.
The striking event occurred following Forest`s 2-2 draw against already relegated Leicester City, a result that negatively impacted their hopes for European qualification.
A visibly upset Marinakis entered the field after the final whistle. Initially, he seemed to be walking past Nuno but then stopped, making angry gestures and exchanging words with the manager.
Marinakis`s frustration reportedly stemmed from striker Taiwo Awoniyi being allowed to continue playing despite sustaining an injury.
Awoniyi was hurt after colliding with the goalpost while attempting a sliding shot.
Medical staff checked on the player and initially gave the all-clear for him to continue, before subsequently changing their assessment.
By that point, Nuno had already used his final substitution, replacing Elliot Anderson.
In his statement, Marinakis commented: “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.”
He continued, acknowledging the team`s effort: “We are extremely proud and close to Nuno and the team, and we must all celebrate the historic achievements of this season.”
Addressing his reaction specifically, Marinakis added: “Everybody – coaching staff, players, supporters and including myself – we were frustrated around the injury of Taiwo and the medical staff’s misjudgement on Taiwo’s ability to continue the game. 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.”
Speaking after the game, Nuno described the situation as “a tough moment,” explaining that the issue with Taiwo Awoniyi meant they were effectively playing with one less player due to “a misunderstanding.” He stated that it was “difficult to control emotions when we had so much expectation on a day like this.”
When asked if the injury situation prompted the owner`s reaction, Nuno confirmed: “Yes, it was because of that. It was a misunderstanding, a miscommunication. I’m sorry, I cannot go much further. It’s based on emotions, you cannot make a big deal out of it. It happens and it will happen again. With the emotions today, it’s understandable.”
Nuno further elaborated in his press conference, calling it “a misunderstanding between the coaching and medical department” and stating that both he and Marinakis were frustrated. He defended the owner, saying his “passion” is the driving force behind the club`s growth and that he “pushes us. He wants us to do better.” Nuno concluded by acknowledging that “as a club we owe a lot to the Marinakis family.”
