Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is convinced Champions League success is a very real prospect in the years to come.
The Reds are heading into the final stretch of the season well positioned to qualify for Europe. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are third in the Premier League table with nine games remaining and hold a six-point cushion over fifth-placed Manchester City.
Marinakis knows what it takes to triumph on the European stage, having overseen Olympiacos’ Europa Conference League triumph last year. The Greek giants, who are also owned by Marinakis, beat Fiorentina to become the first club from the country to win a European trophy.
There is the possibility both Forest and Olympiacos could be competing in Europe next season. And the shipping magnate’s vision is of a Champions League title at some point in the future.
“What I have to say is that (when) both clubs will compete in the Champions League, one of them will win it,” Marinakis said in a MEGA Stories documentary focusing on Olympiacos’ 100th anniversary.
Steps are already being taken to comply with UEFA competition regulations, in preparation for the possibility the Reds and Olympiacos could qualify for Europe. The rules prohibit clubs controlled by the same owners or directors from competing in the same European competition. As such, documents recently filed on the Companies House website have confirmed Ioannis Vrentzos and Forest co-owner Sokratis Kominakis are no longer directors at the City Ground.
Marinakis is very clear about what it takes to succeed on the elite stage. Reflecting on Olympiacos’ victory, he said: “It's not just about saying (you believe), it's about believing.
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“You should believe it, not just because you want to, but because you genuinely think you can achieve it. You have a good coach, you have a good team, you have the right conditions in place, you just need faith, effort and a bit of luck. Luck is important in football.
“If you think you have all the above then, yes, you should believe it. Not only that, you should make others believe it, too.”
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