Bizarre moment Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis marches onto the pitch to remonstrate with coach Nuno Espirito Santo as underdogs’ Champions League hopes fade after draw against Leicester

Evangelos Maranakis stormed on to the City Ground pitch to confront Nuno Espirito Santo as Nottingham Forest’s Champions League hopes threatened to turn to dust.

The Forest owner appeared to be furious after Forest could only draw 2-2 with already-relegated Leicester, meaning that two wins from their final two games might not even be enough to secure a place in Europe’s premier club competition – even though this point is virtually certain to ensure Forest compete in European football next term.

In extraordinary scenes after the final whistle, Marinakis marched on to the playing surface to remonstrate his manager. 

The club say the owner was angry at the poor communication among backroom staff that meant substitute Taiwo Awoniyi stayed on the pitch despite being injured, rather than annoyed with Nuno himself.

Nuno said: ‘It was disappointing for everyone. It was too painful for Taiwo to push and help the team and it was a misunderstanding between the coaching staff and the medical department.

‘It’s because of the owner and his passion that we are growing as a club. He pushes us and wants us to be better. I have been in football so many years. As a club, we owe a lot to the Marinakis family.’ 

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis (R) confronted Nuno Espirito Santo on Sunday

The Forest owner was clearly unhappy with what unfolded in Sunday’s Premier League game 

Writing on X, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville called the exchange ‘scandalous’ and added that ‘Nuno should go and negotiate his exit tonight with him.’

Last month a boardroom reshuffle saw Marinakis place his shares in Forest in a blind trust, in order to meet UEFA rules if Forest and his other club, Olympiacos, both qualify for the Champions League. 

That possibility now looks increasingly remote, with Forest likely to have to settle for a spot in the Europa League or Europa Conference League.

Sunday’s result means Forest have won just one of their last six Premier League games.

the club spent the majority of the season in the top three but now find themselves down in seventh with two games remaining.