Getting Through

Nottingham Forest 1-2 Fenerbahce (UEFA Europa League Play Off Round)

As a Forest fan and in doing a bit of freelance work for UEFA, I’ve been asking for a Reds Europa League game all season and finally, I’m given one, in truth I known about it well before the first leg win in Istanbul, in Vitor Pereira’s first game (against his old club) his new side put in a brilliant performance, to all but put this tie to bed.

Forest won 3-0 in Turkey to give themselves a real advantage tonight, winner apparently meets either Real Betis or Midtjylland, I’m not entirely sure how the pre-planning of last sixteen Europa opponents works out, but being in the hat for the draw on Friday lunchtime is what it’s all about.

Turbulent, I would call Nottingham Forest’s season, from terrible to terrific and back, results have often been edgy with unexpected wins and losses a plenty, Managers have come and gone, Pereira is fourth in charge, a record equalling number for a single Premier League season.

The Reds may still go down, relegation is a real possibility, but like Tottenham Hotspur last season, they also have a chance in winning the Europa League.

As for Fenerbahce, they were outplayed last week, they have several missing tonight, Ederson, Skriniar, Soyuncu and Talisca injured, Fred and Oosterwolde suspended, they have probably pretty much given up on this tie to concentrate on the league, second in the table behind Galatasaray just two points below their nemesis from North of the Bosporus.

A Turkish giant, Fener, nicknamed Efsane (the legend) are bidding for their twentieth Super lig title this season, they have 28 national championships in total winning the national cup 27 times, their rivalry with both Galatasaray and Besiktas two of the fiercest games in world football.

Recently, under Domenico Tadesco the team has signed some superstar names, French World Cup winner N’Golo Kante one of their most recent acquisitions, perhaps not the player he used to be, but still a special footballer for me to see.

The Venue

I live a five-minute drive on a good day, so leave well within time to get parked up in a little place I know before walking past Trent Bridge Cricket Ground and across the Radcliffe Road into the stadium main gates and car park that backs on to the Peter Taylor Stand.

There’s drizzle in the air, it’s dark, just gone 6pm things aren’t too hectic almost a couple of hours from kick off, as I arrive at the media door, and get my bag checked, before heading for the UEFA Office across the way, it’s there I’m told where tonight, I’ll be sitting.

I’ve got plenty of time so sit and have some food in the Media Centre where I see an old friend who’s doing commentary tonight, Steve Corry used to play for the club as a Junior, like the clubs previous Manager Sean Dyche, he never made it to first team football, but working in some ways at the City Ground is certainly next best thing.

My kebab skewers pleasantly polished off, I make myself a tea and head out to the back of the City Ground’s Main Stand, their oldest of all four seating areas, it’s at the very back I’ll be sitting tonight, next to UEFA’s video data co-ordinator.

The low roof of the stand makes it impossible to see much of the venue other than the pitch, luckily I’ve been here before so I know what to expect, the TV screens in front play Celtic’s game at Stuttgart, whilst the likes of TalkSport, TNT, the BBC all sit close by.

The Game

The buzz begins ahead of kick off as anticipating atmosphere increases bit by bit and moments into the match, the Turkish fans behind the goal to my right decide to throw flairs onto the pitch, they have been noisy bouncing around in blue and yellow, although drowned out during Forest fans stunning rendition of Mull of Kintyre.

The smoke and fire puts delay to proceedings but gives a real European atmosphere inside this homely cauldron beside the Trent, there aren’t many better places in England than the City Ground for home & away fan ding dongs and I love it, even if in today’s ‘sterile and serious’ world this sort of shenanigans is far from acceptable.

“Dirty Turkish b*stards” is what the Forest fans sing every time another flare hits the pitch, but soon cleared up, after a couple of minutes of stewarding, the smoke thins into the middle English air, and we are off again as the rain hardens onto the carpet like green surface now scorched by a few burn marks.

Forest start well, they have made six changes from a team narrowly beaten by Liverpool at the weekend, too many you wonder? Their centre back Murillo is playing left back, their left back Williams is playing right back, they have a novice centre half next to their usual understudy who’s far from a fans favourite, and most of their star assets are on the bench.

The home team are hogging the ball, Murillo given license from his usual defensive responsibility down the left, is flicking and tricking into the final third, Hutchinson in front of him is quick, nimble and direct, but the shape is open to the elements, one interception and suddenly Fenerbahce are through, twenty minutes in they are two on two and the leggy looking teen Sidiki Cherif is racing towards goal, he finds Akturkoglu unmarked in the area, the centre forward doing what all good centre forwards should do, taking a touch, slotting home, and running to get the ball straight out of the back of the net. Game on? Suddenly, the visitors, have a sniff.

That sends the decibel levels even higher from the away fans who are really having a good time by now, but Forest come forward with Anderson, he drills one hard and low but agonisingly for Forest fans, outside the posts.

The Score

Fenerbahce finish the first half much the stronger team, as Akturkoglu fluffs a good chance to score, Cherif then has a shot saved by Ortega, that encourages Reds Manager Pereira to make four changes at the break, and although it certainly looks to strengthen his team adding quality to his eleven, it also takes Forest some time to settle, as immediately the visitors go into enemy territory and win a penalty, Akturkoglu felled by Jair Cunha less than sixty seconds into the second half, the number nine stepping up to calmly net his second of the match, and suddenly there’s real feeling that Fener can perhaps do it.

Forest however do steady their sinking ship, they grab a stronghold on proceedings and Cunha almost makes up for his error with a shot saved by Cetin, Neco Williams than drives inches over, before finally, something to celebrate, two subs combining, Ola Aina crosses to Hudson-Odoi who takes a touch before shooting into the corner, relief all around the City Ground. "Super Callum Hudson-Odoi" is sang from the A Block to the tune of Estelle's 'American Boy'.

That goal takes the tie again away from Fenerbahce with Forest now at 4-2 aggregate advantage, they might have even scored again when Igor Jesus ran through but for his shot to be well saved, then late on Omari Hutchinson raced clear, as the Turkish side gambled in getting bodies forward, he couldn’t score when one on one, Cetin again to the rescue, at least giving his team victory on the night, but over two legs, it was Forest who come through the flares and flames, to victory.

The Stars

A lot of high level football on show, you can see that despite their league position, in what is an extremely strong Premier League this year, that Nottingham Forest do have an incredibly good football team, that is certainly up there with Europe (and the world’s) best.

Elliot Anderson could go on to become World Class, he and Morgan Gibbs-White are interesting the likes of Manchester United and Manchester City, whilst Murillo, a unique superstar that plays to entertain, he’s been linked with Liverpool, these are footballers, some of the finest around right now.

I personally think Forest play better when Ibrahim Sangare is in the side, he’s a man mountain who sits in midfield and allows Anderson to run around, and when he came on, it felt the Reds engine room improved, they were after all having to contain with one of the world’s best, in N’golo Kante.

Aged 34, Kante isn’t what he used to be, far from it, but despite doing half the miles he once did, he still runs around more than most, but his control and touch, his passing and discipline, they are of an elite level, he does the ugly stuff better than anyone else in football.

Fenerbahce were far from full strength, Matteo Guendouzi dropping in for them at centre half, and he did a bloody good job, long haired, he reads the game so well, I would love to have seen Forest sign him.

Their full backs, Mert Muldur, and former Derby academy starlet, Archie Brown, both doing well, I'm not sure how he slipped under the radar from Forest fans, and got away without being booed.

In midfield I was impressed with the tenacity of Oguz Aydin, whilst in attack they caused Forest real issues, breaking at pace with Nene and Cherif, who at nineteen will be another superstar, in Kerem Akturkoglu they a reliable centre forward that interlinks play well, he has great feet and will get you ten goals a season.

The Verdict

Getting through is what the night is all about and Forest did that, by hook, or by crook.

Did their Manager make too many changes? Perhaps, but did they get away with it? Yes, will they learn from it? Let's hope so.

I personally believe Forest have a core of players that need to be on the pitch to give themselves a chance of winning games of football, without them, the drop in those taking their places, is quite significant.

Can they go on to win this trophy? Potentially? But I'm thinking their squad is too thin. Can they stay in the Premier League? That is more the question of significance.

A quick one on Fenerbache who do have a brilliant squad, missing loads through injury and suspension they would have been a better test, at full strength, but they now can focus on winning the domestic title, and with the squad they have, I certainly think they have enough in their locker, to do it.

The Teams

Nottingham Forest: Stefan Ortega, Neco Williams, Jair Cunha, Morato, Murillo (Ola Aina 46), Ryan Yates (Ibrahim Sangare 46), Nico Dominguez (Morgan Gibbs-White 84), Elliot Anderson, Omari Hutchinson, James McAtee (Callum Hudson-Odoi 46), Lorenzo Lucca (Igor Jesus 46).

Fenerbahce: Tarik Cetin, Mert Mulder, Mateo Guendouzi, Yigit Efe Demir, Archie Brown (Levant Mercan 76), Oguz Aydin (Marco Asensio 63), Ismail Yuksek, N'Golo Kante, Dorgeles Nene (Nelson Semedo 46), Sidiki Cherif (Alaetin Ekici 76), Kerem Akturkoglu.

8:00pm Kick Off. Thursday 26th February 2026. City Ground, Nottingham (att 26,883).