Nottingham Forest Leicester Champions League 2025 drama reached boiling point at the City Ground as Evangelos Marinakis stormed onto the pitch to confront manager Nuno Espirito Santo. Forest blew a late lead against already relegated Leicester City, a result that puts their Champions League qualification at serious risk. The club owner’s visible fury was caught on camera as Forest’s top-four dreams were dealt a damaging blow.
Forest Throw Away Lead, Marinakis Loses Patience
Forest looked set for a vital comeback win after goals from Morgan Gibbs-White and Chris Wood overturned an early Conor Coady strike. But a late equaliser from Facundo Buonanotte stunned the home crowd and left Forest fans reeling.
Post-match, Marinakis made headlines for storming onto the pitch and confronting head coach Nuno Espirito Santo in a visibly heated exchange. While it’s unclear what was said, the moment encapsulated the pressure surrounding Forest’s push for elite European football.
“Get off the pitch.” — Jamie Carragher (Sky Sports, live on air)
Champions League Slip Could Prove Costly
The 2-2 draw leaves Forest in 7th place, one point behind Chelsea in 5th and Aston Villa in 6th. With only two games remaining — including a final-day clash against Chelsea — Forest’s Champions League destiny is now out of their hands.
They are winless in their last three league matches and were recently knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester City, compounding their late-season collapse in form.
| Match | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Forest 2-2 Leicester | Draw | May 5, 2025 |
| Man City 3-0 Forest (FA Cup) | Loss | Apr 27, 2025 |
| Forest 1-1 Bournemouth | Draw | Apr 21, 2025 |
| Sheffield United 1-0 Forest | Loss | Apr 14, 2025 |
| Forest 3-1 Burnley | Win | Apr 7, 2025 |
Gibbs-White: “We Can’t Concede Like That”
Midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White didn’t mince words when speaking to the media after full-time.
“Yes, we played good with the ball today but we can’t concede two goals like that… It’s just frustrating, frustrating.” — Morgan Gibbs-White
- Owner Fury: Evangelos Marinakis stormed the pitch post-match in a heated exchange with Nuno.
- Late Collapse: Forest surrendered a 2-1 lead to Leicester, damaging their top-four push.
- Final Countdown: Forest face West Ham and Chelsea in a must-win end to the season.
What’s Next?
Nottingham Forest travel to West Ham before hosting Chelsea on the final day. With Champions League hopes hanging in the balance, Nuno’s side must take maximum points — and hope rivals slip up — if they want to reach Europe’s biggest stage.
Was Marinakis right to confront Nuno publicly? Do Forest still have a shot at the Champions League? Drop your thoughts in the comments and share the story with fellow fans.
0 Comments
First read message
Leave a comment
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *