Gary Neville has been named in a £2.1m libel case brought by Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis against Irini Karipidis and Ari Harow.
Karipidis is the owner of Greek club Aris, who are rivals to Olympiacos, also owned by Marinakis, while Harow is a former chief of staff to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Marrinakis has accused the pair of falsely calling him a “leader of a criminal organisation, guilty of match-fixing practices including extortion, fraud and arson, as well as there being strong grounds to suspect him of deep and active involvement in international heroin trafficking.”
The Greek businessman, who’s never been far from controversy in English football, claims a “smear campaign” has led to “hostile and ill-founded criticism from pundits”, with Neville – who back in 2024 forced Sky Sports into an apology after claiming the club had acted like a “mafia gang” – cited as a major culprit.
The Manchester United legend was also hugely critical of Marinakis remonstrating with Forest boss Nuno Espírito Santo after the 2-2 draw with Leicester earlier this month.
A club statement later claimed Marinakis was concerned for the wellbeing of Taiwo Awoniyi, who collided with the post but was left on the pitch before later being admitted to hospital and placed in an induced coma after suffering a ruptured intestine.
Neville, while on commentary duty for Sky Sports, said: “I feel compelled to mention that I think what the Forest owner has just done on the pitch over at the City Ground is absolutely scandalous.
“If I was Nuno, I’d be going and having a very strong word with him, because that is an absolute scandal. He’s just qualified them for a European competition, and from where that club’s been, and to be remonstrated with on that pitch in front of the club’s fans is an absolute joke.”
Neville later posted 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.’
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Marinakis’s solicitor, Christopher Scott, wrote: ‘There has been significant document production which include over 500 documents that were provided shortly before this hearing on 20 May. The documents produced include WhatsApp chats, project plans, commentary and internal communications at Harris Media LLC, including congratulating each other on the impact of the campaign in Nottingham including being of in excess of 1.5 million views on social media, through to listing journalists and pundits to target to seek to influence their views of the claimant, including the likes of the Sky Sports presenter Gary Neville.
‘It is notable that since the smear campaign commenced the claimant has been greatly aggrieved by the apparent change to a hostile attitude towards him by many such pundits, including Mr Neville. Indeed, Nottingham Forest FC recently had cause to complain about hostile and ill-founded criticism from pundits, including Mr Neville, of the claimant’s expression of concern for a seriously injured Nottingham Forest player.’