Summary

  1. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 11:47 British Summer Time

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    Marinakis' behaviour wasn't great and I'd be furious if I was Nuno, but describing it as "scandalous" is an over-reaction. Brian Clough once ran on the pitch after a game and punched a supporter - now that's scandalous!

    Rich, Aldershot

  2. Marinakis' outburstspublished at 11:44 British Summer Time

    Nottingham Forest 2-2 Leicester

    Evangelos MarinakisImage source, Getty Images

    Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has had previous outbursts...

    In December, he said he had "no regrets" over his actions after calling out "big mistakes" made by the video assistant referee (VAR).

    He was handed a five-game stadium ban in October for spitting on the floor as match officials walked past in the tunnel following Forest's 1-0 Premier League defeat by Fulham at the City Ground on 28 September.

    The club were also fined £750,000 by the Football Association for an "attack on the integrity of a match official on an unparalleled scale" following a social media post last season.

    Forest claimed video assistant referee (VAR) Stuart Attwell was a fan of Luton Town, who were also battling relegation at the time, when they complained on social media platform X about three penalty decisions that went against them during a 2-0 defeat by relegation rivals Everton on 21 April 2024.

    Cleary Marinakis does not like losing!

  3. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 11:39 British Summer Time

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    It's not over yet. If Forest can win their last two games they will still qualify for the Champions League. This over-hyped fracas may well give the team extra determination to make the top 5.

    Terry, Forest fan

  4. Frustration bubbled overpublished at 11:34 British Summer Time

    Nottingham Forest 2-2 Leicester

    Nick Mashiter
    BBC Sport football news reporter

    Evangelos MarinakisImage source, Getty Images

    Evangelos Marinakis is usually in the tunnel after Nottingham Forest games, although he has been pitch side previously too, so his presence is never a surprise.

    The frustration at drawing with Leicester and seeing the Champions League continue to slip away bubbled over.

    Is it a good look Marinakis went on the pitch and remonstrated with Nuno? Not really. It's now the talking point rather than Forest reaching Europe. In the bubble of the Premier League anything like that is going to be seized upon.

    Forest have needed to replace the giant TV Marinakis has in front of his seat at the City Ground after he has kicked it in frustration and he is a combustible personality. He sent a cone flying as he walked off the pitch on Sunday.

    But there will be no official consequences, it is very much viewed as 'man goes on pitch', especially given his position at the club.

    Nuno handled the situation expertly - he is usually a calm character anyway - and, internally, the matter is considered closed. Everyone is moving on and recognising the achievement of returning the club to Europe for the first time since 1996.

  5. No need to 'dwell' on Marinakis interventionpublished at 11:30 British Summer Time

    Nottingham Forest 2-2 Leicester City

    Danny Murphy
    BBC pundit and former Liverpool midfielder

    Media caption,

    How Marinakis on-pitch confrontation unfolded

    He's [Marinakis] disappointed and it's not ideal him coming on but they've just got in to Europe.

    They are guaranteed some kind of European football, which is a remarkable achievement and he [Nuno] has done a tremendous job.

    The fans have had a season way above expectation - [reaching] the semi-final of the FA Cup - so I think it would be remiss to dwell on some small interaction.

  6. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 11:25 British Summer Time

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    If I'm the Leeds owners I'm straight on the phone to Nuno this morning trying to get him over to Ellend Road. It will take something special for a promoted side to stay up given the huge gap between the championship and Premier league in recent years and Nuno is a quality manager who I think could help to bridge that gap. It's a long shot given Forest have secured European football next season but after yesterday you may just be able to entice him.Image source, Getty Images

    If I'm the Leeds owners I'm straight on the phone to Nuno this morning trying to get him over to Elland Road. It will take something special for a promoted side to stay up given the huge gap between the championship and Premier league in recent years and Nuno is a quality manager who I think could help to bridge that gap. It's a long shot given Forest have secured European football next season but after yesterday you may just be able to entice him.

    Jack, Hartlepool

  7. What is Marinakis' history?published at 11:21 British Summer Time

    Nottingham Forest 2-2 Leicester

    Evangelos MarinakisImage source, Getty Images

    In addition to owning Nottingham Forest, Evangelos Marinakis also controls Greek team Olympiakos, as well as Portuguese side Rio Ave.

    In April, Marinakis diluted control of Forest in preparation for potential Champions League qualification because of his ties with Olympiakos, who have already qualified for the Europe's top tier league phase next season.

    Under Marinakis' ownership, Olympiakos won seven domestic championships in a row from 2010-2017, but Marinakis found himself stuck in a match-fixing scandal.

    In March 2018, he was cleared of forming a match-fixing ring in Greece by the country's Supreme Court, adding he was "innocent" and "a victim of a plot".

    Since arriving at Forest in May 2017, he has invested heavily to help gain promotion to the Premier League, which was achieved in 2022.

    Marinakis went on to sign 21 players to break the British record for most signings in a single transfer window.

    Last year they were docked four points for breaching Premier League profit and sustainability rules, but they now sit seventh - only a point off the top four.

  8. 'Nuno should go and negotiate his exit'published at 11:16 British Summer Time

    Nottingham Forest 2-2 Leicester

    Nuno Espirito SantoImage source, Getty Images

    Gary Neville did not mince his words when reacting to the Evangelos Marinakis-Nuno Espirito Santo post-match words.

    "Scandalous from that Forest owner," Neville wrote on X. "Nuno should go and negotiate his exit tonight with him! The Forest fans, players and manager do not deserve that."

  9. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 11:12 British Summer Time

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    Whilst I can understand Marinakis' frustration at the injury to Awoniyi and letting him carry on was a mistake. There's a time and a place behind closed doors to show that frustration not on the pitch. I was 4 years old the last time we played in Europe so which ever competition we end up in we have exceeded expectations.

    Anon

  10. 'Masterclass in diplomacy from Nuno'published at 11:08 British Summer Time

    Nottingham Forest 2-2 Leicester City

    Evangelos Marinakis and Nuno Espirito SantoImage source, Getty Images

    The Telegraph's Luke Edwards believes the Forest boss handled the public confrontation as best as he could.

    Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast he said: "It is not great. I thought Nuno handled it incredibly well, and diplomatically, but I think it gives us a little window into what it is like to manage at Nottingham Forest.

    "It has been a wonderful season for them and then you have the owner coming onto the pitch and remonstrating publicly with the manager. It is just not a great look.

    "If he is doing that in public, then you wonder what he is doing in private?

    "Nuno said that he is an emotional guy - and we know that too - but you just do not do it. It belittles the manager if you do that in front of the supporters. But it was a masterclass in diplomacy from Nuno in his post-match interviews. He just didn't nibble on it at all."

  11. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 11:04 British Summer Time

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    How are people even having a dig at Nuno? Let’s be clear, if he’d got them up to 10th from relegation it would’ve been a successful season. He’s actually over achieved and now it’s biting him in the backside.

    James

  12. 'It's crazy'published at 11:00 British Summer Time

    FT: Nottingham Forest 2-2 Leicester City

    Stephen Kelly
    Former Fulham defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

    Evangelos MarinakisImage source, Getty Images

    I understand it's frustrating for Forest to be right at the top for so long and look like they may get pipped at the end, but you can't be doing that.

    Marinakis supposedly stepped down from control a few weeks ago which makes a mockery of that. Shambolic scenes in front of one of the managers of the season. It's crazy.

  13. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 10:56 British Summer Time

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    What have you made of the job that Nuno Espirito Santo has done at Nottingham Forest?

    Could be have done more to prevent the recent slump in form?

    Given their struggles last year, surely even if they miss out on the Champions League, this has been a successful season?

    And, crucially, what do you think it is like working for Evangelos Marinakis?!

    Let us know using the details above.

  14. 'Football is emotions'published at 10:49 British Summer Time

    Nottingham Forest 2-2 Leicester

    Media caption,

    On pitch clash with Marinakis 'no big deal'

    Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo, speaking to BBC Match of the Day on the incident with Evangelos Marinakis: "It [the conversation with Marinakis] was due to the situation and the confusion over the substitution of [Taiwo Awoniyi].

    "We made a [different] sub and after that we played with one man less so that frustrates everyone.

    "When a player is down, you get information that he is OK to continue, then we make a sub and it turns out he can't continue. We are all frustrated with that.

    "Football is emotions. It's difficult to control [and] especially when we had so much expectation and the fans were incredible."

  15. get involved

    Get Involved - 'He who betrays will always walk alone'published at 10:45 British Summer Time

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    He who betrays will always walk alone. Personally I wouldn’t boo but I don’t blame anyone booing. He has been very selfish running his contract down and not thought how this would affect the fans and the club.

    Maria, lifelong Liverpool fan

  16. 'The passion we feel for our club'published at 10:40 British Summer Time

    Nottingham Forest 2-2 Leicester

    Media caption,

    How Marinakis on-pitch confrontation unfolded

    Nottingham Forest's point against Leicester confirmed European football - something the club last experienced 30 years ago.

    Rather than run to Nuno Espirito Santo to celebrate, Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, clearly furious at the result, delivered what appeared to be the most public of dressings down to his manager.

    Former Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville called Marinakis' actions "scandalous".

    Marinakis defended his actions in a post-match statement, saying: "We were frustrated around the injury of Taiwo [Awoniyi] 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.

    "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."

  17. Postpublished at 10:35 British Summer Time

    Nottingham Forest 2-2 Leicester

    As much as a blow as the result was to Nottingham Forest's Champions League hopes, once again one non-footballing incident stole the headlines...

  18. Forest miss opportunity to move into the Champions League spotspublished at 10:33 British Summer Time

    Nottingham Forest 2-2 Leicester

    Sean Kearns
    BBC Sport

    Morgan Gibbs-White celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest FC and Leicester CityImage source, Getty Images

    Nottingham Forest missed the opportunity to move into the Champions League positions as they conceded a late equaliser in a 2-2 draw against rivals Leicester.

    Argentina midfielder Facundo Buonanotte scored with eight minutes left on the clock to earn a point for the Foxes, who are already relegated.

    Goals from striker Chris Wood and midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White had turned the game in Forest's favour, after Conor Coady had given the Foxes the lead in the first half with his first Premier League goal for the club.

    Victory would have enabled Forest to capitalise on Chelsea's defeat by fellow Champions League hopefuls Newcastle earlier in the day.

    But a draw leaves Nuno Espirito Santo's side in seventh spot, one point behind fifth-placed Chelsea.

  19. Champions League huntpublished at 10:29 British Summer Time

    Who will be playing in the Champions League next season? Only a few games left to book your spot on the comically large league table.

    Race for the top fiveImage source, .
  20. 'Arsenal are judged on winning things'published at 10:25 British Summer Time

    Liverpool 2-2 Arsenal

    Jay Bothroyd
    Former Premier League striker on BBC 5 Live Breakfast

    Bukayo Saka of Arsenal looks dejectedImage source, Getty Images

    It's been a poor season for Arsenal. There was a lot of expectation, this could have been the year with Man City dropping off. Saka getting injured doesn't help. It's unbalanced in the team, and overall it's poor because they haven't won anything. Arsenal are judged on winning things.