Nottingham Forest are taking on Crystal Palace this afternoon with a host of subplots to the game.
Forest pinched Crystal Palace’s place in the Europa League earlier this summer after the CAS threw out their appeal, with UEFA kicking them out of the competition.
There has also been lots of speculation involving Nuno Espirito Santo this week, with the Forest head coach allegedly having a rift with Edu following his arrival.
As a result, this was always going to be an intriguing first home game for Palace and the banter in the way of the chanting started early doors at Selhurst Park.
Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis.
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
What Nottingham Forest fans sang during Crystal Palace clash
Naturally, this was always going to be a hostile atmosphere inside the stadium, with Palace resenting Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis for his part in their removal from the Europa League.
Although UEFA didn’t make their decision based on anything Marinakis did but that would mean Palace fans would actually have to lay some blame at their own chairman’s doorstep.
Forest let Palace fans know that during the early stages of the contest, singing: “Marinakis, he does what he wants”.
Marinakis did write a letter to UEFA but that was more to do with the protocols on the whole, with the Forest chief keen to get his own multi-club situation in order.
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Forest can look forward to Europa League campaign
The managerial situation needs sorting out, but once that’s resolved, hopefully with Espirito Santo staying at the club, the Reds can look forward to Europe.
It’s the first time in 30 years that Forest will have played in European competition and the Reds will be guaranteed eight games in that competition.
Marinakis has put his money where his mouth is when it comes to Forest and nobody can question his commitment to the cause.
The chants in the first half show that the vast majority of Forest fans are with Marinakis and appreciate his unwavering support.