Nottingham Forest have dismissed reporting round an obvious confrontation between supervisor Nuno Espírito Santo and membership proprietor Evangelos Marinakis as “faux information” in an replace concerning striker Taiwo Awoniyi.
Forest secured European soccer for subsequent season with a 2-2 draw towards Leicester Metropolis on Sunday, however Facundo Buonanotte’s equaliser for the relegated Foxes dealt Nuno’s facet a significant blow within the race for Champions League soccer.
The draw left Forest a degree adrift of fifth-placed Chelsea, who 2-0 at Newcastle United, with two video games to go. Forest host Chelsea on the Metropolis Floor on the ultimate day of the season.
There was drama following Buonanotte’s leveller when striker Awoniyi collided with the bottom of the far submit whereas making an attempt to attach with Anthony Elanga’s cross from the fitting. His efforts have been for nought because the flag then went up for offside towards Elanga, with Awoniyi then receiving prolonged therapy earlier than being allowed to proceed. It was later revealed Awoinyi required emergency surgical procedure on the harm.
At full-time, a livid Marinakis stormed onto the sector and seemed to trade heated phrases with Nuno. Nonetheless, in a press release, Forest insisted there was no confrontation between proprietor and supervisor, claiming any frustration from Marinakis was a results of the choice to permit Awoniyi to proceed.
The assertion learn: “Nottingham Forest can verify that Taiwo Awoniyi is recovering effectively to this point following pressing surgical procedure on a severe stomach harm sustained throughout Sunday’s match towards Leicester Metropolis.
“The seriousness of his harm is a robust reminder of the bodily dangers within the recreation, and why a participant’s well being and well-being should at all times come first. At Nottingham Forest, this precept is not only coverage for us; it’s the deeply held perception and conviction of our proprietor. To Evangelos Marinakis, this isn’t only a soccer membership — it’s household – and he instils that message in all of us.
“That’s the reason he was so personally and emotionally invested within the scenario that unfolded on the Metropolis Floor on Sunday. His response was certainly one of deep care, duty, and emotional funding in certainly one of our personal. He didn’t simply see it as an remoted incident, however as one thing that mirrored the values and unity of your complete staff.
— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) May 13, 2025
“In moments like that he demonstrates his management, not simply by means of phrases, however by means of motion and presence. Within the closing ten minutes of the sport, when he noticed our participant clearly in discomfort, struggling by means of seen ache, it turned more and more tough for him to remain on the sidelines. His deep frustration at seeing our participant mendacity on the bottom in extreme ache -something nobody with real care may ignore – triggered him to go onto the pitch. It was instinctive, human, and a mirrored image of simply how a lot this staff and its folks imply to him. He would do the identical once more if such an unlucky occasion have been ever to reoccur.
“The reality of the matter is there was no confrontation, with Nuno or with others, both on the pitch or contained in the stadium. There was solely shared frustration between all of us that the medical staff ought to by no means have allowed the participant to proceed.
“In gentle of this, we urge former coaches and gamers, and different public figures within the recreation, to withstand the urge to hurry to judgement and faux information on-line, particularly when they don’t have the complete information and context. Baseless and ill-informed outrage for the needs of private social media traction serves nobody — least of all of the injured participant. We name on these influential voices to indicate the identical respect for participant welfare that they usually demand from others. Let concern come earlier than commentary.
“At Nottingham Forest, we imagine the psychological and bodily well-being of our gamers and training workers should at all times take priority — over media narratives, inflammatory judgements, and positively over self-promotion. In moments like these, the sport should unite round those that put their our bodies and minds on the road each week. That’s what actual management appears like in our recreation.”
Forest journey to West Ham on Sunday. If Aston Villa beat Tottenham on Friday or if Chelsea beat Manchester United on the identical night and Forest lose to West Ham, Nuno’s facet shall be eradicated from Champions League rivalry.
