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New York Times
26-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
How Nottingham Forest returned to Europe after 30 years: Building blocks, unity… and Ludo
There were only a smattering of empty seats at the City Ground, as the Nottingham Forest fans waited to give their players a deserved ovation at the end of a remarkable season. But on the pitch and in the stands, shoulders were slightly slumped, the volume not quite what it might have been. After the final whistle of a 1-0 home loss to fellow Champions League hopefuls Chelsea on Sunday evening, Forest's owner Evangelos Marinakis wore a face of frustration, an emotion shared by around 27,000 others in the building. Advertisement Striker Taiwo Awoniyi got a warm reception as he walked around the pitch, following his recent abdominal surgery after getting injured in a collision with the goalpost while trying to score a late winner in the recent draw with Leicester City here. When head coach Nuno Espirito Santo emerged from the tunnel, there was a hearty chant of 'Nuno, Nuno, Nuno!' But in the home dressing room afterwards, there was a sense of what might have been. When the dust settles, this campaign should be seen for what it is — an unquestioned success for a side that went from battling relegation in the previous two seasons to making a sustained push for Champions League football. They are the first team in the Premier League era to double their points tally from one campaign to the next, having collected 32 last time out and 65 now. As victorious Chelsea instead celebrate a return to European club football's top table, a place in the final qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League — the third tier of continental competition — come August does not feel like a fitting reward for such a season. 'We are disappointed. But in a couple of hours, you will look back and realise it's been good,' Nuno said in a brief post-match press conference. 'It is not easy for me to speak about all these things, because today is tough. We knew the last day was going to be tough for all the teams involved in this fight. We came short.' But this is a season that should be remembered as being the best Forest have had in 30 years. Here is the story of how it unfolded. The fierce sense of unity in the Forest dressing room is nothing new. It was there in the squad Nuno inherited from Steve Cooper. But it has blossomed since the Portuguese head coach took charge in December 2023. The secret? Winning more games of football has not done any harm. But there is far more to it than that. Advertisement The squad regularly go out for coffee together, they are encouraged to socialise after training. At the Nigel Doughty Academy, Ryan Yates is the resident barista at the well-stocked coffee station in the players' lounge. The lounge and canteen area was refurbished extensively to open it up and make it feel more sociable. A dart board was recently added to the pool table, table tennis table and PlayStation 5, which has added a fresh dynamic to the fierce but friendly competition among the players. The coaching staff are also fans of the arrows and chat via Bluetooth headphones while playing darts in their own homes. 'They will all be on a call together while they are playing,' says Yates. 'There will be three or four of them at a time having a game. The culture we have at the club… it comes from the staff as well. They bring the good vibes to the training ground as much as the players do. They are all part of it. 'At the training ground, the quality of everything has just gone up. They changed the canteen to be more open plan and brought in more kitchen staff, more physios, so the players could have everything they need. All just small things that really do make a difference. That obviously comes from the owner's investment and where he sees the club going.' Who is the best darts player? 'I'd put myself right up there,' says Yates, who does not yet have a darts nickname, but says he is open to ideas. There is an equal level of competition at the table tennis table, where Awoniyi is particularly proficient. On the PlayStation, the players play EA Sports FC (formerly FIFA) — and the players take their in-game ratings seriously — but there is another unlikely game that has helped the players to bond… Ludo, a board game that was first patented in England in 1896. 'We play cards together… we play Ludo,' said Anthony Elanga in an interview with The Athletic. 'We had that unity last season, even when we were losing. Imagine what the spirit is like now, now that we are winning regularly? It is even better. Advertisement 'Now that things are going well, that only seems to be getting stronger. We have Ludo on the iPad. We play it every dinner time. People take it very seriously. Who is the best? I am not sure. But Willy Boly is the worst!' The senior players in the squad have a protective outlook over the younger members. Yates and Harry Toffolo, in particular, have put an arm around the shoulder of 19-year-old defender Zach Abbott. 'He has been a massive role model, Ryan. He is the person I lean on for advice,' Abbott tells The Athletic. 'He tells you how to deal with all sorts of things, including off the pitch. He has been a good friend to me. Toff has been the same. He just leads by example with the way he is around the place.' When Abbott made only his second Forest start in the high-pressure surroundings of the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City at Wembley, both men played a part in calming his nerves. Yates was there when Nuno informed Abbott he would be playing a few days before. 'I woke up feeling a bit nervous,' said Abbott. 'When my name was read out before kick-off, all the Forest fans were cheering and Toff told me, 'They love you already', which just settled me down a bit. I felt as though I belonged there.' Morgan Gibbs-White regularly has the armband when Yates is not in the starting line-up. While he is not an old-fashioned style of leader, he is a respected figure. He is fiercely competitive. When he went on holiday with Elanga last summer, Gibbs-White would not let a game of padel finish before he had won. When the Forest players gathered in a pre-match huddle at Anfield in September, Yates delivered a simple message to his team-mates. 'We are a big club. But we are only a big club if we believe it.' The 1-0 win that followed, at a ground where they had not won since 1969, helped them do exactly that. Advertisement There are plenty of players within what Cooper would refer to as the 'leadership group', including Boly, Nikola Milenkovic, Chris Wood and Matz Sels. Many of the players also share a common bond through their faith, with Elanga, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ola Aina and Awoniyi all involved with the Ballers in God group, run by former Forest midfielder John Bostock. In the dressing room, Aina is one of the players who influences the mood the most. He is the joker who uses social media to gently rib his team-mates — see Hudson-Odoi getting flak for looking like a Teletubby or the cheeky footage of Nuno dancing — and Aina is also in charge of the music. 'He is one of the players who takes care of the good mood. How does he do that? He has good music. He has a good jukebox,' said Nuno in a recent press conference. 'As for the dancing, I need to have a word with him about that…' After retiring as a player, Nuno took his coaching badges when he was 36, in Largs, a Scottish coastal resort around 30 miles from Glasgow. When taking his first steps in management, Nuno liked to stand behind the goal to watch training, favouring the familiar vantage point he had enjoyed as a goalkeeper with Porto and Dynamo Moscow. But he has long since abandoned that habit for a more traditional position on the sideline. Sessions are short and sharp, normally lasting no longer than a 90-minute game. But they are intense. The players sleep well at night. Everything is meticulously planned. A lot of repetitive work is done to get players to a point where they react to specific situations during games instinctively. Some of what Nuno does is reactionary. But there is also often a well-thought-out reason for it, such as the slightly more exuberant celebrations following the FA Cup win against Ipswich Town at the City Ground in March, when the Forest manager carried Aina into the melee of celebrations in the middle of the pitch on his back. Just look at what that win means to Nuno Espírito Santo ♥️#EmiratesFACup — Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) March 3, 2025 Nuno is still the blunt, straight-talking and demanding character he has been throughout his managerial career. But he has allowed his warmer side to shine through. He expects fiercely high standards from his players on the training ground and in matches. Away from that, he is a more approachable, friendly character. He surprised his players by diving off the high board during the winter training camp in Dubai and has been known to play his handpan instrument in his office when players go and talk to him. Advertisement Having Rui Pedro Silva on his coaching staff has created a different dynamic from the last time he worked in the Premier League, in his short, ill-fated spell at Tottenham Hotspur, where the man who had been his assistant at Valencia, Porto and Wolverhampton Wanderers was not part of his staff. Silva is a trusted figure whose opinion Nuno values. He also has a good relationship with the players. They speak about the strong bond among the playing group and the staff. 'It has been a season of progression. In those first two seasons, it was tough for everyone,' Neco Williams tells The Athletic. 'The squad was changing every window and we were not settled. 'I do believe a lot of it is togetherness. Not just the players, the staff as well. Even people who are not Forest fans can see how good the bond is.' When Awoniyi suffered an abdominal injury in the 2-2 draw with Leicester City on May 11 — leaving the striker requiring urgent surgery — it galvanised the players. They all recorded video messages for their stricken team-mate. They were sent together, so he could watch them all at once. When he was fit enough to have visitors beyond close family, the players came. There is a feeling in the dressing room that was a moment that brought the players closer together. It gave them an additional reason to win: do it for Taiwo. The team went to West Ham United last weekend on the back of just one victory in six Premier League matches — and desperate to win the game in tribute to their team-mate. Awoniyi messaged the team to tell them he was OK and urge them to secure the win that would extend their Champions League hopes to the final day. After the 2-1 victory, they celebrated by holding aloft a shirt with his name on it. When Nuno assessed his squad last summer, he made a decision not to put the cart before the horse. He decided on an identity that would best suit them. Then they got to work during the pre-season training camp in Murcia. 'It all started in Spain,' says Elanga. 'The manager gave us the idea of what he wants us to be. We do believe. That is our motto: to believe every time we step out on the pitch. If we win a game, when we return to training, his message is always the same: 'Well done, but now on to the next one'.' Advertisement Starting midway through last season, Nuno had found it hard to forge the kind of bond he wanted with his players, amid the physical and emotional intensity of a fight against relegation. But with the benefit of time, he gave Forest an identity. 'It started the moment Nuno walked through the door. He gave us that consistency, obviously he has emotions, but he was very consistent through the highs and the lows,' says Yates. 'He worked out what was best for our team. 'The quality we had in the dressing room last season was added to, with obviously fantastic additions. The whole culture of the club altered, just the small, small details that go a long way to making things like we're a really, really top club in the Premier League.' Forest have averaged just 40.91 per cent possession. Only Everton (40.68 per cent) and Ipswich (40.29 per cent) had less of the ball. But the combination of a new defensive resolve and the ability to hit teams on the break with electric counterattacks has made Forest entertaining to watch and ruthlessly effective. Their 10 away wins were double the combined total they managed in the two previous campaigns. Chris Wood has become the first 20-goal forward for Forest in the top flight since Stan Collymore in 1995. 'He is probably the simplest finisher I have ever known,' said Morato during an interview with journalists. 'He does not mess about with tricks or trying to do anything fancy. If you give him a chance, he puts it away. That is it.' Wood, Gibbs-White, Elanga and Hudson-Odoi have evolved into one of the most exciting attacking quartets in the country. Before the Chelsea game, Gibbs-White had registered seven goals and eight assists. Elanga had six goals and 11 assists. 'He has been the difference maker many times,' says Elanga of Gibbs-White. 'He sees things that other players can't.' Advertisement Forest — along with Crystal Palace — have scored the most set-piece goals, with 17. Villa were just behind with 16. The nine goals they conceded from free kicks and corners is a vast improvement on last time out, when the 22 they shipped was the most in the top flight. The capture of Milenkovic from Fiorentina for just £11million ($15m) is one of the best signings in the club's recent history. The centre-back partnership between the Serbian — the club's player of the season — and Murillo has evolved into one of the best in the country. 'They are both strong, they are both quick. Perhaps Murillo is technically stronger. But Milenkovic is all about physical strength, he fights so well and is so strong in the air,' said Morato. 'With Murillo, he has extra quality on the ball and extra patience in the build-up.' Abbott says it has been the perfect environment for him to learn. 'The defence has been a massive part of the team's rise. They have produced performances that Forest fans have not seen in the Premier League for years,' he says. The numbers are impressive, with Forest's defence having made 585 headed clearances and 1,183 clearances of all types (including goalkeeper punches) — both comfortably more than any other team. Milenkovic has also contributed five goals. Matz Sels, along with Arsenal goalkeeping counterpart David Raya, has won the Premier League Golden Glove award, having kept a division-best 13 clean sheets. The formula was enough to lift Forest into the top four in December, amid a run of six consecutive Premier League victories, including wins at Old Trafford and against Aston Villa at the City Ground. Forest subsequently beat Manchester City 1-0, hammered Brighton & Hove Albion 7-0 and completed double-successes over Manchester United and Tottenham. 'After the Christmas period, we thought: 'Wow, we've got something special going here',' says Yates. 'I know what this club is like when it picks up momentum.' Since the turn of the year, the Forest hierarchy have been preparing for Champions League football. Not because of any complacency that they would get there, but because they were aware of the scale of change that would be required if it happened. Following promotion to the Premier League, owner Evangelos Marinakis had been a fan of the Brighton model — of signing players from different markets, often for reasonable fees, but always those who will improve in quality and increase in value. Advertisement More recently, it has been the example of Aston Villa Forest have been more keen to emulate, as the prospect of European qualification became more realistic. But, while Villa have been competing in the Champions League this season, their journey to this point has been gradual. Unai Emery had an impressive first season in charge, leading Villa to seventh place and into the Conference League in 2022-23. Last season, they were knocked out of the competition by the eventual winners, Forest's sister club, Olympiacos. Their growth and the squad's steady improvement have come over an extended period, but Europa League football would have put Forest ahead of schedule. Champions League would have represented a giant leap forward. It is not the competition Forest wanted to be in, but Marinakis is aware that he could become the first owner to win the Conference League with two different clubs. Forest will go into the competition believing they can win it. That will be the intention. But there is more work to be done this summer. Forest have a starting XI capable of competing at the top end of the Premier League. Forest are aware they do not possess the strength in depth of Villa. When key players have been missing through injury or suspension — such as Wood, Aina, Hudson-Odoi and Gibbs-White, they have been badly missed. Recruitment has been a major factor in Forest's success and it will be pivotal again as they look to take another step forward. Ultimately, Forest were not able to break into the top six. And the finale to the campaign felt as though they hit the head of a snake on the top row on a game of snakes and ladders, to slide down the board at the last. But their seventh-placed finish represents progress. Do the players believe a dynasty can be built at the club under Nuno? Advertisement 'I can't see why not,' says Yates. 'Look at what he's achieved in his short period. If anything, it should be exciting to see what we can build further. 'There is just something about Forest. The City Ground, the fans, Mull of Kintyre… everything's come together this year. It feels like the promotion season. 'It took us a couple of years to find the stability but when this club gets momentum, it's unstoppable.'
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chelsea secure top-five spot to end Nottingham Forest's Champions League dream
Before kick-off, a giant banner dangled from the upper tier of the Trent End. It was an oversized brown tourist sign. 'Destination: Europe,' it read. Below that, a flag of a camper van with Nottingham Forest scarves flickering out of the windows. For Forest, all roads from here lead to the Europa Conference League and not the Champions League, which Chelsea will play in next season after two years away. First, however, for Enzo Maresca and Chelsea, is a trip to Wroclaw, a final against Real Betis, in the competition Forest will grace for the first time next season. For Forest, it was impossible to avoid the sense of anticlimax, despite returning to Europe for the first time since reaching the quarter-finals of the Uefa Cup under Frank Clark in 1995-96. In the end, the biggest boost of the day probably arrived 15 minutes before kick-off, when Taiwo Awoniyi emerged from the tunnel. The striker, who required urgent abdominal surgery and was placed in an induced coma after colliding with a post here against Leicester, was given a hero's welcome after walking on to the pitch tapping his chest and applauding all four sides of this stadium. Related: Manchester City and Newcastle qualify for Champions League amid Villa fury at refereeing controversy: Premier League final day – live reaction This was a game of few openings but when the ball landed at the feet of Levi Colwill, after Pedro Neto was played in on goal, the Chelsea defender made no mistake, side-footing in the only goal of the game to confirm Maresca's side will return to Uefa's elite competition. Colwill does not score many goals – this was just his second of the season, his other coming against his hometown club Southampton – but this strike was as valuable as they come. Marc Cucurella recycled Cole Palmer's cross, headed away by Murillo, and Neco Williams inadvertently nodded the ball into Neto's path. Neto could not direct his effort goalwards but Colwill was free at the back post to score from close range. A cussing Nuno Espírito Santo shook his head on the sidelines. Forest had two good chances, both falling to their leading scorer, Chris Wood. The first came a couple of minutes before the interval, Wood volleying over from the former Chelsea defender Ola Aina's cross. Robert Sanchez asked questions of his defence but Forest failed to quiz Chelsea any further, allowing the visitors to coast to victory. Forest tried to force the issue in eight minutes of added time, throwing numbers forward, Colwill making an unforced error. The hosts created an opening in the 94th minute when Matz Sels, from inside the Chelsea half, looked for Wood. The Forest striker cushioned the ball superbly on his thigh but, under pressure from Tosin Adarabioyo, he could not keep his shot down and spooned it over.
BreakingNews.ie
25-05-2025
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
Levi Colwill's goal ensures Chelsea beat Forest and return to Champions League
Chelsea booked their return to the Champions League with a 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest, who fell heartbreakingly short in their own quest for the promised land. Levi Colwill's goal early in the second half decided what was effectively a Premier League top-five shoot-out at the City Ground, meaning the Blues will be back in the top tier of European football again after two seasons away. Advertisement They could complete a historic season in Enzo Maresca's first year in charge if they can beat Real Betis in Wednesday's Europa Conference League final, where they are aiming to become the first team to win all three UEFA competitions. Forest had to win and hope other results went their way to get into the Champions League in just their third season back in the Premier League. Despite Newcastle and Aston Villa losing, they could not look after their own business and will play in the third-tier Europa Conference League next season. Nuno Espirito Santo's side were able to win only one of their last five games, but their season will be seen as a success once the disappointment subsides. Advertisement Forest were given a lift before kick-off when stricken striker Taiwo Awoniyi was paraded on the pitch two weeks after he suffered a serious abdominal injury during the 2-2 draw with Leicester which left him in an induced coma. The home crowd soon turned their attention to Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville, who has been banned by Forest for his comments about owner Evangelos Marinakis after the Greek businessman confronted boss Nuno Espirito Santo on the pitch. Nottingham Forest and Chris Wood found chances hard to come by (PA) Forest knew their mission and started with intensity but they found clear-cut chances hard to come by in a game that was initially short on goalmouth action. Chelsea had the first real chance in the 30th minute when Cole Palmer's inviting cross was poked over from close range. Advertisement Forest had an almost identical chance on the stroke of half-time as Chris Wood got to Ola Aina's cross ahead of Blues goalkeeper Robert Sanchez but his effort whistled just over. The home side were boosted at the interval when news of Aston Villa's goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez's red card at Manchester United came through, but they were quickly deflated after the restart. They failed to clear a Palmer cross properly and Neto slipped the ball across goal to give Colwill the easiest of tap-ins at the far post. Forest had plenty of time to find two goals, but they never really looked like finding one. Advertisement They huffed and puffed and became frustrated by Chelsea's ability to break the game up. Wood had a glorious chance to get set up a grandstand finale deep into injury time but he fired over after brilliantly controlling Matz Sels' long ball. Their fans serenaded them at the end of the match, but the sense that this was a missed opportunity was palpable.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Levi Colwill's goal ensures Chelsea beat Forest and return to Champions League
Chelsea booked their return to the Champions League with a 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest, who fell heartbreakingly short in their own quest for the promised land. Levi Colwill's goal early in the second half decided what was effectively a Premier League top-five shoot-out at the City Ground, meaning the Blues will be back in the top tier of European football again after two seasons away. They could complete a historic season in Enzo Maresca's first year in charge if they can beat Real Betis in Wednesday's Europa Conference League final, where they are aiming to become the first team to win all three UEFA competitions. GET IN!#CFC | #NFOCHE — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 25, 2025 Forest had to win and hope other results went their way to get into the Champions League in just their third season back in the Premier League. Despite Newcastle and Aston Villa losing, they could not look after their own business and will play in the third-tier Europa Conference League next season. Nuno Espirito Santo's side were able to win only one of their last five games, but their season will be seen as a success once the disappointment subsides. Forest were given a lift before kick-off when stricken striker Taiwo Awoniyi was paraded on the pitch two weeks after he suffered a serious abdominal injury during the 2-2 draw with Leicester which left him in an induced coma. The home crowd soon turned their attention to Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville, who has been banned by Forest for his comments about owner Evangelos Marinakis after the Greek businessman confronted boss Nuno Espirito Santo on the pitch. Forest knew their mission and started with intensity but they found clear-cut chances hard to come by in a game that was initially short on goalmouth action. Chelsea had the first real chance in the 30th minute when Cole Palmer's inviting cross was poked over from close range. Forest had an almost identical chance on the stroke of half-time as Chris Wood got to Ola Aina's cross ahead of Blues goalkeeper Robert Sanchez but his effort whistled just over. The home side were boosted at the interval when news of Aston Villa's goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez's red card at Manchester United came through, but they were quickly deflated after the restart. They failed to clear a Palmer cross properly and Neto slipped the ball across goal to give Colwill the easiest of tap-ins at the far post. Scenes in the away end! That goal is absolutely massive in the race for #ChampionsLeague. Keep on pushing Blues! ✊#CFC | #NFOCHE — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 25, 2025 Forest had plenty of time to find two goals, but they never really looked like finding one. They huffed and puffed and became frustrated by Chelsea's ability to break the game up. Wood had a glorious chance to get set up a grandstand finale deep into injury time but he fired over after brilliantly controlling Matz Sels' long ball. Their fans serenaded them at the end of the match, but the sense that this was a missed opportunity was palpable.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chelsea secure top-five spot to end Nottingham Forest's Champions League dream
Before kick-off, a giant banner dangled from the upper tier of the Trent End. It was an oversized brown tourist sign. 'Destination: Europe,' it read. Below that, a flag of a camper van with Nottingham Forest scarves flickering out of the windows. For Forest, all roads from here lead to the Europa Conference League and not the Champions League, which Chelsea will play in next season after two years away. First, however, for Enzo Maresca and Chelsea, is a trip to Wroclaw, a final against Real Betis, in the competition Forest will grace for the first time next season. For Forest, it was impossible to avoid the sense of anticlimax, despite returning to Europe for the first time since reaching the quarter-finals of the Uefa Cup under Frank Clark in 1995-96. In the end, the biggest boost of the day probably arrived 15 minutes before kick-off, when Taiwo Awoniyi emerged from the tunnel. The striker, who required urgent abdominal surgery and was placed in an induced coma after colliding with a post here against Leicester, was given a hero's welcome after walking on to the pitch tapping his chest and applauding all four sides of this stadium. Advertisement Related: Manchester City and Newcastle qualify for Champions League amid Villa fury at refereeing controversy: Premier League final day – live reaction This was a game of few openings but when the ball landed at the feet of Levi Colwill, after Pedro Neto was played in on goal, the Chelsea defender made no mistake, side-footing in the only goal of the game to confirm Maresca's side will return to Uefa's elite competition. Colwill does not score many goals – this was just his second of the season, his other coming against his hometown club Southampton – but this strike was as valuable as they come. Marc Cucurella recycled Cole Palmer's cross, headed away by Murillo, and Neco Williams inadvertently nodded the ball into Neto's path. Neto could not direct his effort goalwards but Colwill was free at the back post to score from close range. A cussing Nuno Espírito Santo shook his head on the sidelines. Forest had two good chances, both falling to their leading scorer, Chris Wood. The first came a couple of minutes before the interval, Wood volleying over from the former Chelsea defender Ola Aina's cross. Robert Sanchez asked questions of his defence but Forest failed to quiz Chelsea any further, allowing the visitors to coast to victory. Forest tried to force the issue in eight minutes of added time, throwing numbers forward, Colwill making an unforced error. The hosts created an opening in the 94th minute when Matz Sels, from inside the Chelsea half, looked for Wood. The Forest striker cushioned the ball superbly on his thigh but, under pressure from Tosin Adarabioyo, he could not keep his shot down and spooned it over.
