Nottingham Forest manager Vitor Pereira described his decision to rotate the squad heavily as a calculated risk that paid off, allowing the team to advance in the Europa League despite a challenging second leg against Fenerbahce.
Match Recap
Forest entered the play-off second leg at the City Ground with a commanding 3-0 advantage from the first leg in Istanbul. Fenerbahce mounted a strong fightback, taking a 2-0 lead through a brace from Kerem Akturkoglu. Callum Hudson-Odoi’s second-half goal ensured a 2-1 defeat on the night but confirmed Forest’s progression to the last 16, where they will face either Real Betis or FC Midtjylland.
Pereira Explains Team Changes
Pereira implemented six changes to prioritize the upcoming Premier League match against Brighton. “We were suffering a bit. But we are in the moment of the season that we need to think not about one game, but about two games, about the next game,” Pereira stated.
He highlighted the challenges of such extensive rotation: “It was a risk because I decided to make six changes in the team. If you have one or two changes the players can be in the middle of the others, and you don’t miss the quality. But when you change six players they aren’t used to playing 90 minutes.”
The manager emphasized the importance of the Brighton fixture: “I decide to take this risk. I decide because I need to think about the Brighton game, because it’s very important for us. We need to go there with fuel and energy.”
Half-Time Adjustments
At halftime, Pereira made four substitutions to regain control. “It’s difficult for a manager to do four subs,” he noted. “It’s not about one player. I was feeling that I need to do something to face the second half. It’s like intuition.”
Fenerbahce’s Perspective
Fenerbahce coach Domenico Tedesco praised his team’s performance despite elimination. “We are proud of the way we played tonight, with personality,” Tedesco said. “We had many opportunities. We have to accept, we are out of the competition, but at least with the head held high.”
