Nottingham Forest Defend Owner Marinakis Against Criticism After Manager Exchange

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis faced criticism after storming onto the pitch following a 2-2 draw with Leicester, which some interpreted as a heated confrontation with manager Nuno Espirito Santo. However, the club clarified that Marinakis' actions were motivated by concern for striker Taiwo Awoniyi, who suffered a serious abdominal injury during the match and had continued playing despite visible pain. Forest emphasized that Marinakis' intervention reflected his deep care and leadership, highlighting the club's family values and commitment to player welfare. In response to public and pundit backlash, including calls from Gary Neville for Nuno to leave, Forest condemned what they described as "baseless and ill-informed outrage" fueled by incomplete information and social media sensationalism. The club urged public figures to refrain from rushing to judgment without full context, especially out of respect for the injured player. Overall, Forest portrayed Marinakis' pitchside involvement as a human and instinctive act of concern rather than an attack on the manager.