'Confusion over Awoniyi' - Forest manager explains why owner voiced his frustration after draw v Leicester

Manager Nuno Espirito Santo has explained why Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis was visibly frustrated after his side's 2-2 draw against Leicester City at the City Ground on Sunday afternoon. 

Nottingham Forest’s draw with the Foxes felt like a defeat as their hopes of securing UEFA Champions League football moved further out of reach in the final stretch of the season.

Champions League qualification is out of Forest's hands now after Facundo Buonanotte scored a late goal for the Foxes to make it 2-2 in the East Midlands derby. 

Following the final whistle by Tony Harrington, Evangelos Marinakis stepped onto the pitch to confront Nuno, with cameras capturing his animated outburst.

Marinakis questioned Nuno Espirito Santo's decision to keep an injured Taiwo Awoniyi on the pitch.

Thrown on in the 83rd minute as Forest pushed for a winner, the Nigeria international crashed into the far post during a counter-attack and needed medical attention.

Though he returned to the pitch shortly after, he was visibly limping as Forest fell short of the goal that would have lifted them to fifth.

When asked about the owner coming onto the pitch, Nuno said to Sky Sports: "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 are seventh in the standings with 62 points, just one behind fifth-placed Chelsea, whom they will face in one of their final two matches of the 2024–2025 season.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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