The incident, described as “scandalous” by Gary Neville, stemmed from frustration over a medical staff misjudgment regarding striker Taiwo Awoniyi’s injury, which left Forest effectively playing with 10 men in the final minutes.
Marinakis emphasised the club’s pride in Nuno and the team, attributing the confrontation to shared passion and frustration over the Awoniyi situation while Nuno downplayed the incident, calling it a “misunderstanding” due to confusion over Awoniyi’s condition.
He defended Marinakis, and despite the draw denting Forest’s Champions League hopes, the result secured European football for the club next season, a significant milestone.
Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis kicks the bucket in disgust as he steams off the pitch. #NFFC pic.twitter.com/zaWPcY7gMd
— Stephen R Power (@racingblogger) May 11, 2025
What do you think Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis said to Nuno Espirito Santo after the club’s draw against Leicester? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/Et4GoRBkTx
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 11, 2025
“Today is a day for celebration, because after thirty 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. We are extremely proud and close to Nuno and the team, and we must all celebrate the historic achievements of this season.
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!”
Nuno Espirito Santo explains the situation on the pitch with Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis following their draw against Leicester 👇 pic.twitter.com/ae7MA5gUC5
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 11, 2025
“We had problems in previous games, and today they manifested again” 🫣
Nuno Espirito Santo says his side are “not playing good” following their tough draw against Leicester 👇 pic.twitter.com/IZG2xp7Lj6
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 11, 2025
Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo speaking to BBC Match of the Day after the 2-2 draw with Leicester: “Of course, it was a day that we put a lot of energy in to achieve the win. It’s frustrating when you don’t do it. It was our game to get.
“Easy to say, we need to be solid especially when we were controlling the game and being dominant. The goal was avoidable, we should have done much better. That’s the frustration we have.
“No matter what happened to Leicester, they have quality players and showed that today to make it hard to beat them.”
“Honestly, I think we should have won this game today. It’s a bad day today.”
On Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis coming onto the pitch at full-time: “Football is emotions. Today there were more than 30,000 people in the ground with their own emotions. It was a tough moment, after the situation with [Taiwo Awoniyi] we had one man less after a misunderstanding.
“It’s difficult to control emotions when we had so much expectation on a day like this.”
Is Awoniyi’s injury situation the reason he came onto the pitch? “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.”
On fight for Champions League places: “We now have to react. We have two games left, it’s no longer in our hands but we have to find solutions for the team for those games.”
Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo, speaking to Sky Sports: “Today is a tough day for everybody connected to the club.
“First half we conceded a goal but we were dominant. Second half we started better and deserved to get the advantage. Then it was a defensive mistake that allowed Leicester to get back in the game.”
Felt comfortable at 2-1? “Yes. We were in control of the game, good defensive shape, organised.”
On pressure getting to the players: “I honestly don’t know the reason. You can say because of anxiety or nerves but the players don’t transmit that.
“[Champions League qualification] was in our hands, it’s no longer in our hands. But we out not playing well, we are not defending well and that is never good.
“I wish I could tell you why but our main focus as coaching staff is to find solutions. When we don’t it’s so frustrating.”
On the owner coming onto the pitch: “It 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. It’s obvious.
“When a player is down, you get information that he is OK to continue, then we make a sub and it turns our he can’t continue. We are all frustrated with that.
“Football is emotions. It’s difficult to control. Especially when we had so such expectation and the fans were incredible.
“Let’s go again, it’s not in our hands but it’s not finished.”
Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White, speaking to Sky Sports: “We put ourselves in the best position possibly but these last three or four games haven’t been good enough.
“We can’t concede two goals like that, we can’t. It’s just frustrating.”
Why the drop off? “It’s been a tough season, very demanding especially when we’ve put ourselves in the positions we have. I can’t put a reason on it. Fatigue? Tiredness? But we can’t make excuses because the fans deserve better.
“We’ve secured Europa League, it’s incredible but we wanted more.
“Our and our fans expectations were Champions League a few games ago. We’ve got two games to go and we have to turn it around.
“None of us have been in this situation before so we handled it well to start with but as it’s got away from us, we haven’t handled it so well. We’re new to it but we still fighting and building as a team and a club.”
On rest of the season: “We have to look at it in a positive way before realise the opportunity was there for us.
“It’s tough when you’re playing at the top, playing against the best but days like today we should be getting three points.
“It’s frustrating but we continue to be positive and get as many points as possible.”
Leicester manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, speaking to Sky Sports: “That is a point away at Brighton, a good performance against Liverpool, we beat Southampton and now a point here.
“We know we are relegated but we want to show what we’re about. We want to keep showing and not give up on ourselves. We had to move on and not wait until next season to start.
“The reaction of the away fans is clear and I’m happy.”
On the improved recent form: “You can say there is no pressure and then we start to perform. It’s possible but I think it’s important after relegation we move on and keep improving.
“We want to give the fans positivty for the fans.”
On change of approach: “It’s shifted from fighting to staying in the league to the future and that shift you see results, performance and development.
“I’m happy with that but of course the relegation is still painful. It’s clear what the plans are and I’m putting it into practice.”
On his future: “It’s my responsibility as manager of the football club to do what is best for the club whether my future is clear or not clear.
“What the future will bring, I don’t know. We go day to day, week to week.”
: Those Physio’s are fucked
: We thought the same, he was not fit to continue. I would have ran on the pitch but I would have got a 3k fine and a life time banning order. Just saying boss. #nffc
: So the whole argument was because taiwos a bell and should’ve just come off! Sure most pundits are just cunts wanting to create unrest like @GNev2 and @Carra23
: love our owner comes out clears the air @SkySports tell you pundits to pipe down, this guy, owns the club and loves it, he should be able to walk where ever he wants. Look at Italian/Spanish football, sometimes the players have 2 say sorry, face2face 2fans about performance shown
: Class from Nuno. Also I love the owners passion to make us winners. 3 PL seasons done & he has delivered European football. Thought it’d be 4/5 years. We’re ahead of schedule & a big summer can ensure we progress further next season. European football back at CG again. 👏 #NFFC
: Passionate and frustrated, just like all of us were! Yes, I wish this happened off camera to not start the bollocks in the first place, but some of the shit I see the media/pundits plus even some of our own. Forever grateful to this man. Happy he’s our owner. #nffc
@ForestFanF13794: Fair enough. Love this guy. At least he cares… although I feel for the medical team. Looks like they get the brunt of this one. Bad day at the office for them. #NFFC
@Forest_No_22: F*ck off Neville. F*ck off Carragher. And f*ck off every other little media twerp choosing to ignore the wider context, which Nuno himself has put out there! If only you lambasted the greedy 6 for what their faceless owners tried to do. Or have you forgotten that? #NFFC
