Nottingham

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Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has told the BBC he has big "dreams" for the club despite a "stressful" season at the club.

Marinakis was speaking on a night he described as "very emotional" as the Olympiakos side he also owns saw off Aston Villa to reach the Europa Conference League semi-final.

The owner celebrated how his side had upset the odds to knock out a club pushing to be in the Champions League in England, before talk turned to a tumultuous season at Nottingham Forest.

Marinakis, who bought Forest in 2017, said: "I think that what I have done so far for Forest, the investment, the time, I think we have achieved great things and now you will see we want to build a big stadium, a new training centre. It’s a great team, it inspires us and we want to do more and you will see in the years to come that we have big dreams for Forest."

The club's owner has faced scrutiny in recent weeks.

Forest were docked four points for breaching Premier League Profit and Sustainability rules this season and have failed in their appeal against the sanction.

They also drew criticism for their use of social media to question Video Assistant Referee Stuart Attwell in the aftermath of a defeat against Everton, during which they had three penalty claims turned down.

Asked about the points deduction, Marinakis said: "It’s not fair, but as I said very soon I will be speaking about it. It's not fair what was happened so far. Referee decisions have cost us points and this is something that has been repeated and repeated and what we expect for the Premier League and referees is to correct these mistakes.

"I think that for me, speaking about it and having a great appetite to correct it doesn’t damage the sport. What damages the sport are these unfair decisions, in my opinion. But I have lived my life to deal with difficult decisions and I enjoy it, I enjoy the uphill and I think that forest will stay in the division and for the years to come, we will do a lot of good things and you will see a great future ahead of us."

Nottingham Forest will be looking to increase the gap between themselves and the Premier League's bottom three when they face Chelsea at the City Ground on Saturday afternoon.

As the Reds prepare for their penultimate game of the season, BBC Radio Nottingham's Colin Fray has been previewing their "tough" final two games on the Shut Up and Show More Football podcast: "Burnley's best chance of launching a challenge was probably in their last two home games, but obviously last week they got thumped at home by Newcastle.

"I think you've got to say that you fancy Tottenham to beat Burnley still. Albeit, they aren't in a good run of form under Ange Postecoglou at the moment.

"I think it will be a tough one for Forest at the weekend against Chelsea, who are hitting form and momentum. They are starting to deliver on some of their promise - they have got a lot of young players and they have waited all season for it to gel - a little like Forest I think.

"I think it's a difficult one for Forest, just the same as it was against Arsenal a year ago. Forest will need to raise their game, just as they did against Arsenal a year ago, if they are going to get the job done at the City Ground.

"I'm not too sure they have the momentum behind them this year, which they had last year, to be able to do that. I hope I'm wrong - but you can almost see it, because of the season that it has been, being the sort of season where it does go down to the last day.

"If it does go to the last day, Forest will be in a similar position to what they are now. They will be in a strong position with that much better goal difference. Hopefully it will even be a good enough goal difference to avoid a Stoke-esque swing on the final day - which would be absolutely horrific.

"They are in a strong position after the win against Sheffield United - no question about it - but the worst thing they can possibly think is that they have already got it done.

"If they have any sense of that attitude, Chelsea are in the kind of form where they can absolutely take Forest to the cleaners.

"So it is very much stacked in Forest's favour at the moment but, with the kind of season it has been, you just cannot rest for a second."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

Nuno Espirito Santo has been speaking to the media before Nottingham Forest’s game with Chelsea on Saturday.

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On the rejection of Forest’s appeal on Tuesday against their four-point deduction for breaching profit and sustainability rules: “We were all disappointed. We had the hope and the belief that they (the independent appeal board) could give us points back. But the decision is over, so there is no point speaking on this issue.”

• On how he addressed the issue with the players: “We spoke about it with the players, about how this is the reality, this is what we have, this is what we have to face. Let’s focus on ourselves because it is in our hands.

• He continued: “Since the beginning, when there was the possibility of a points deduction, we have always faced it the same way - that what we have to focus on is ourselves and on our job. It’s in our hands. We have already moved on.”

• Asked if Forest place any focus on relegation rivals Luton and Burnley, Nuno said: "The message is that we don’t have to get distracted on what is happening in other stadiums. We have to focus on ourselves, this is the main message and this is what we want, let’s focus on ourselves and play a good game. We are ready to go.”

• On Chelsea and what Mauricio Pochettino faces at Stamford Bridge: “Everyone can see what Mauricio is trying to do. It’s a new team, new players, he is trying to put them together and for them to gel. They are in a good moment. It will require a lot from us, to win individual duels and try to win the game. I always have a good feeling. A good feeling and a good spirit is what keeps you going.”

• On his hardest season in management: “Yes, it’s been hard but I’m repeating myself. Since day one we embraced the challenge. There were a lot of things we were not expecting but we dealt with them in the proper moment and in the right way. With the right attitude and working together we can overcome the obstacles and we have had a lot.”

• Neco Williams remains out with a hamstring injury and is yet to return to training.

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A lot of teams play their penultimate Premier League game of the season this weekend.

Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool have qualified for the Champions League. Aston Villa can finish no lower than fifth so will be in the Europa League at worst. Liverpool’s Europa Conference League place for winning the Carabao Cup reverts to the league and Sheffield United have been relegated.

But much is still to be decided.

Despite nobody being able to win the title just yet, here is what could happen...

Aston Villa can clinch the fourth and final Champions League place despite not playing until Monday:

• If Tottenham lose on Saturday, Villa qualify without kicking a ball;

• If Tottenham draw, Villa qualify if they draw with Liverpool on Monday;

• If Tottenham win, Villa qualify if they beat Liverpool.

Tottenham can ensure a top-five finish:

• If they win, Newcastle United lose and Chelsea and Manchester United both fail to win.

Failing that, Spurs can ensure a top-six finish - Europa Conference League at worst:

• If they win AND Chelsea and Manchester United both fail to win;

• If they win AND Newcastle lose AND one of Chelsea and Manchester United fail to win;

• If they draw AND Chelsea and Manchester United both lose.

The other two relegation places could also be settled this weekend.

Burnley will be relegated:

• If they fail to win at Tottenham on Saturday, whatever happens elsewhere;

• If Nottingham Forest win against Chelsea.

If Burnley win and Forest draw, the Clarets will be teetering and will need a huge swing in goal difference on the final day of the season when the two sides meet.

Luton Town are slightly better off than Burnley, but will be relegated:

• If they lose at West Ham AND Nottingham Forest avoid defeat;

• If they lose AND Burnley win, even if Forest lose;

• If they draw AND Forest win.

If Forest match Luton's result, the Hatters will be on the brink as they would need a big swing in goal difference on the final day.

Here are the key facts and figures before Saturday's game between Nottingham Forest and Chelsea in the Premier League.

• Following their 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge in September - Nottingham Forest are looking to complete their first league double over Chelsea since 1978-79, when they were reigning top-flight champions under Brian Clough.

• Chelsea have won just two of their past 10 away league games against Nottingham Forest, in November 1994 and February 1999.

• Following their 3-1 win at Sheffield United last weekend, Nottingham Forest are looking to win consecutive Premier League games for only the third time since their promotion in 2022 (previously January 2023 v Southampton and Leicester and December 2023 v Newcastle and Man Utd).

• Even though they have lost just one of their past 12 Premier League games, Chelsea are winless in their past five away from home. The Blues have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their past 14 Premier League away games - since a 2-0 win at Fulham in October.

• Chris Wood has scored more goals than any other Nottingham Forest player in the Premier League this season (12). However, Chelsea are the side he has faced most often without scoring in the competition (11).

• Finally, Cole Palmer has been involved in 30 Premier League goals this season - scoring 21 and assisting nine. The most recent Chelsea player to be involved in more was Eden Hazard in 2018-19 (31 – 16 goals and 15 assists). Not since 2009-10 has a Blues player scored more in a league campaign (Didier Drogba 29, Frank Lampard 22).

Listen to full commentary of Nottingham Forest v Chelsea from 17:30 BST on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

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Nottingham Forest full-back Ola Aina spoke to BBC East Midlands Today about the appeal for the Reds' points deduction being rejected:

"I'm not really bothered about it to be honest. We've always been focussing on what we want to do, which is going into games and getting points anyway.

"You could say it's helpful [getting clarity before the end of the season] but the energy around the club was like it has been forgotten about anyway, especially among the players. We didn't really talk or think about it - we were just thinking about getting points as we normally would.

"It feels good that it's in our hands. We can take control of that. I don't think [it is nervy], I think the boys enjoy the task. I really enjoy going out there and having to get something. That's the joy of football.

"It would be fantastic [to secure Premier League survival] and I do think we'll do it. It will be fantastic to have that bit of relief, whether that's this week or next week."