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Nottingham Forest say criticism of owner’s appearance on pitch was ‘fake news’

Nottingham Forest have urged fans not to listen ‘fake news’ and insist ‘there was no confrontation’ between owner Evangelos Marinakis and manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

Following Sunday’s 2-2 home draw against already-relegated rivals Leicester City, Marinakis approached Nuno and appeared to exchange heated words with the 51-year-old on the City Ground pitch.

The incident drew criticism from some fans and pundits. Former England defender Gary Neville called the exchange ‘scandalous’, and said Nuno should resign.

But in a club statement released on Tuesday, Forest said that there was no dispute between the two and fans should “resist the urge to rush to judgement and fake news online”.

“At Nottingham Forest, we believe the mental and physical well-being of our players and coaching staff must always take precedence — over media narratives, inflammatory judgements, and certainly over self-promotion.

“In moments like these, the game must unite around those who put their bodies and minds on the line every week.”

The situation arose after striker Taiwo Awoniyi’s injury late in the game, which left him barely able to run for the final 10 minutes.

The statement continued: “His (Marinakis’) deep frustration at seeing our player lying on the ground in severe pain – something no one with genuine care could ignore – triggered him to go onto the pitch.

“It was instinctive, human, and a reflection of just how much this team and its people mean to him.”

Espirito Santo played down the incident in a post-match interview saying they “cannot make a big deal out of it” and that the conversation was “based on emotions”.

The incident follows other occasions this season in which Marinakis’s conduct has been questioned. In September he was given a five-game stadium ban by the FA for spitting on the ground as match officials walked past him in the tunnel following a 2-1 home defeat against Fulham.

The Greek claimed it was unintentional and he had developed a cough from smoking cigars – but an independent regulatory commission dismissed this claim on review of security camera footage.

Nigeria international Awoniyi, 27, underwent surgery on Monday night after colliding with the post in the 88th minute of the 2-2 draw as he tried to get on the end of Anthony Elanga’s cross.

The striker received lengthy treatment on the pitch after coming on as a late substitute for Ibrahim Sangare.

Despite a successful surgery, Forest said that “the seriousness of his injury is a powerful reminder of the physical risks of the game”.

The result left Forest seventh in the Premier League table in the race to qualify for the Champions League.