Vitor Pereira's Nottingham Forest face Fenerbahce on Thursday in the first leg of their Europa League play-off
18:45, 18 Feb 2026
Nottingham Forest head coach Vitor Pereira oversees training on Fenerbahce's pitch
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Nottingham Forest head coach Vitor Pereira oversees training on Fenerbahce's pitch(Image: Getty)
Vitor Pereira wants his players to embrace what is sure to be a tasty atmosphere against Fenerbahce as Nottingham Forest target Europa League progress.
Pereira knows all too well what to expect at the Chobani Stadyumu on Thursday night (5.45pm kick-off) as he has had two separate spells in charge of the Turkish outfit. He returns to his old stomping ground, this time with the Reds, looking to get one over his former club.
In his first match as Forest head coach, the Portuguese has pledged the visitors will take to the pitch with positivity. It may be a two-legged play-off, with a place in the last 16 of the tournament up for grabs, but Pereira will not adopt a cautious approach in Istanbul.
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"In the Premier League, we have good atmospheres everywhere,” he said in his pre-match press conference. “Here (at Fenerbahce), of course it is a huge club with a lot of passion for football.
“For the players, I think these are the atmospheres they enjoy playing in. I believe they enjoy it when this kind of energy is in the air.
“For me, it is a pleasure to be here and to face a team with passion and to show our passion, to show our energy and ambition, to play with courage and organisation. For me, organisation is not only about tactical things but about expressing yourself and the qualities we have. This is what I want to see.
“Since the first day (of coming in) you can start to give this energy to the players, to pass this energy to them. I believe that a team absorbs a lot of the personality of the coach or manager.
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“We need to think about the game as an opportunity to show our qualities and to prove ourselves, and at the end of the game be proud of what we did and what we showed. This is what I want to see from my team.”
A return to familiar territory stirred up plenty of memories for Pereira. However, his focus is very much on the future with Forest.
“I lived in this city twice and I have a lot of memories,” he said. “I have great memories of the supporters, the stadium and the people.
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“Tomorrow is the first time I will face this club and it is an honour for me. I am very happy to be here again. I hope we can enjoy the game; a game with quality and two teams that want to play in a good way, with quality. It will be a fantastic atmosphere, for sure.
“I came here with the intention to win. I cannot prepare a match to draw. We have come with the intention to play and to get a win.”
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