Nottingham Forest’s coach Nuno Espirito Santo has come to the defense of owner Evangelos Marinakis, who expressed his ‘frustration’ by rushing onto the pitch after the team’s 2-2 draw with Leicester City in the Premier League on Sunday.

This match secured Forest’s place in Europe for the first time in 29 years and hindered their chances for Champions League qualification. A visibly upset Marinakis confronted Nuno on the field. Former Manchester United player Gary Neville described the scene as ‘scandalous’ during his commentary for Sky Sports.

Nuno said that Marinakis actions was understandable attributing it to not substituting Taiwo Awoniyi out of the game. Taiwo had hit the post just 10 minutes before the match ended and couldn’t make an impact afterwards.

In his explanation, Nuno said that the situation caused a misunderstanding about Awoniyi. He expressed frustration about playing with a confident and eager player to score for just 10 minutes. After making a substitution, they ended up with one less player, which was understandably frustrating. He noted that football is filled with emotions, making it hard to manage, especially given the high expectations for the day.

Marianakis later issued a statement clarifying the incident, celebrating Nottingham Forest’s return to European competition after thirty years, a promise he made to fans upon promotion.

As the Premier League’s last games approached, he pointed out the importance of believing and dreaming. Nuno and the team felt a sense of pride, yet they also acknowledged the collective frustration regarding Taiwo’s injury and the medical team’s error in assessing his ability to continue. This frustration reflects the deep passion everyone has for the club.

“Let’s all be grateful, passionate and keep on dreaming!”

Following an incredible season in which they kept third position for a long time, Nottingham Forest dropped to seventh place in the Premier League after Facundo Buonanotte scored a late goal for Leicester, who are already relegated. Nevertheless, the club is only one point behind fifth-placed Chelsea with two matches remaining, and they will face the west London team on the final day of the season.

Neville criticized the actions of Forest’s owner during his remarks. He stated, ‘What the Forest owner did on the pitch at the City Ground is disgraceful. If I were Nuno, I would have a serious discussion with him ,His actions is unacceptable. After qualifying for a European competition, to confront Nuno on the pitch in front of the fans is simply ridiculous.’

Marinakis, the owner of Greek club Olympiacos, recently put his shares in Forest into a blind trust to follow UEFA regulations.