Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo has played down a tense post-match confrontation with club owner Evangelos Marinakis, saying he understands the emotional outburst following their 2-2 draw with Leicester City on Sunday.
Marinakis stormed onto the pitch after the final whistle, visibly angry and engaging in a heated exchange with Espirito Santo. The draw dealt a blow to Forest’s Champions League hopes, though the club secured a Europa League spot with the result.
The flashpoint appeared to stem from confusion over forward Taiwo Awoniyi’s injury. After crashing into the post, Awoniyi initially continued playing but later left the pitch, leaving Forest temporarily down to 10 men. This delay in substitution seemed to infuriate the Forest hierarchy.
“There was a confusion over the situation of T [Taiwo Awoniyi],” explained Espirito Santo. “We got the information that he was okay to continue, so we made a sub. Unfortunately, we didn’t have another stoppage to change him and he couldn’t go on.”
The Forest boss was quick to defuse the tension. “Football is emotions. It’s difficult to control when expectations are so high,” he said. “We’re all frustrated.”
Despite the dropped points, Espirito Santo praised the fans and the players’ effort. “It’s not in our hands anymore, but it’s not over.”
With European football secured, all eyes will be on how the club resolves internal tensions and regroups ahead of the coming season.
