Nottingham Forest accused of rule break after Newcastle United Champions League rivals exploit UEFA loophole

Forest drew 2-2 with their already relegated rivals Leicester City at the City Ground on Sunday, missing the opportunity to move back into the Champions League places in the process.

Newcastle United’s 2-0 win over Chelsea leaves Nottingham Forest a point outside the top five heading into the final two games of the season. The Magpies moved three points inside the Champions League places and four clear of Forest, who must now win their final two games of the season to have a chance of finishing above Eddie Howe’s side due to their inferior goal difference.

But the point does guarantee a top seven finish and European football of some sort for Nottingham Forest for the first time in 30 years. With Newcastle also guaranteed a top-seven finish, the Conference League spot for winning the Carabao Cup will be passed to the next highest-ranked Premier League side not to have already qualified for Europe.

Unlike last season, seventh place will grant a European qualification spot this season. Should Manchester City, who are also guaranteed a top seven finish, win the FA Cup then seventh will qualify for the Europa League and the Conference League spot will go to eighth place.

But if Crystal Palace win the FA Cup then the Conference League spot will got to seventh with no European spot for eighth place. The top five in the Premier League will qualify for the Champions League, and sixth place will earn a spot in the Europa League.

Evangelos Marinakis confonts Nottingham Forest manager on the pitch

There were unsavoury scenes at full-time at the City Ground as Forest owner Marinakis appeared to vent his frustration at manager Espirito Santo.

Speaking after the game, the Forest boss explained Marinakis’ frustration was due to an injured Taiwo Awoniyi not being withdrawn in the closing stages.

“It all comes from the situation that unfortunately in the last ten minutes we had one man less with a situation of him not being able to to give us a hand to the team to help the team because he was in too much pain,” Espirito Santo said.

“That came from a bad communication between departments, coaching staff and medical department that they had the info of one thing. It proceeds and we make the sub.

“Unfortunately then he had another stoppage time and after that I think 30,000 people that were in the stadium were really really upset, rightly so.”

Following the incident, Marinakis released a statement on Instagram which read: "Today is a day for celebration because after 30 years Nottingham Forest is guaranteed to be competing on the European stage once again, a promise I made to our supporters when we achieved promotion!

"With two more games to go in the Premier League, we must keep believing and keep dreaming, right to the final kick of the game.

"We are extremely proud of and close to Nuno and the team, and we must celebrate the historic achievements of this season.

"Everybody - coaching staff, players, supporters and including myself - we were frustrated around the injury of Taiwo and the medical staff's misjudgement on Taiwo's ability to continue the game.

"This is natural, this is a demonstration of the passion we feel for our club."

Gary Neville tells Nottingham Forest head coach to resign

Sky Sports pundit hit out at Marinakis’ conduct and called for Forest boss Espirito Santo to resign.

Neville wrote on social media: "Scandalous from that Forest owner. Nuno should go and negotiate his exit tonight with him! The Forest fans, players and manager do not deserve that.”

Nottingham Forest owner had ‘no right’ to be on the pitch

With Forest set for European football next season, Marinakis recently relinquished day-to-day control of the club in order to avoid breaking UEFA rules. While he remains the club’s ‘owner’ in name, his controlling stake was transferred to a blind trust.

UEFA rules do not allow two clubs under the same ownership to compete in the same competition. As Marinakis owned controlling stakes in both Olympiacos and Forest, transferring his Forest stake to a blind trust allows both clubs to exploit a loophole in the rules and compete in the same European competition should they both qualify.

But football finance expert Kieran Maguire was quick to point out that Marinakis, who was officially removed as a person with significant control at Forest on April 29, was technically a pitch invader when he approached Espirito Santo at full-time.

Maguire tweeted: “Seems odd what happened on pitch at City Ground given that a blind trust was set up to run Nottingham Forest a couple of weeks ago which removed Marinakis from control. So in theory he had no right to be anywhere near the playing surface.”

Maguire then added: “He’s nothing to do with the club…unless the blind trust is a sham.”

Ultimately, Marinakis’ conduct won’t impact Forest’s chances of qualifying for the Champions League, though it does raise the issue of multi-club ownership and the way owners are finding ways to work around the rules.

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