May 1 – As Nottingham Forest edge closer to a remarkable return to European competition, owner Evangelos Marinakis is relinquishing day-to-day control of the club due to UEFA regulations prohibiting the same ownership group from controlling multiple clubs in the same European tournament.
The Greek shipping magnate also owns Olympiacos, who are dominating the Greek Super League and appear certain to participate in next season’s Champions League qualifiers.
With Forest currently sitting in 6th place in the Premier League and only two points behind 3rd-placed Newcastle United, the prospect of both clubs competing in the same European competition has forced Marinakis to restructure his involvement.
Forest have not participated in Europe’s premier club competition since 1981, following their legendary back-to-back European Cup victories over Malmö and Hamburg under iconic manager Brian Clough.
But even if Marinakis’ English side fail to make the Champions League, they could still end up in the same European competition as Olympiacos if the Greek team fail to progress in the UCL qualifiers, which they will enter in Round 2 if they win their national title.
Going forward, Marinakis will place his Forest club shares into a blind trust and will be “ceasing to be a person in significant control,” according to documents filed with Companies House. Fellow Greek businessman Sokratis Kominakis, a part-owner of NF Football Investments, will assume the role of director.
Marinakis’ ownership tenure has not been without controversy. In 2018, he was charged with drug trafficking, match-fixing, and being involved in a criminal organisation in Greece, though he was subsequently cleared of all charges after a lengthy legal process. He also made headlines in 2020 when he tested positive for COVID-19 shortly after attending a Forest match at the City Ground, raising concerns about potential virus transmission within the Premier League.
Despite these controversies, Marinakis has overseen Forest’s revival, including their promotion to the Premier League in 2022 after a 23-year absence from the top-flight. Now, with former Arsenal sporting director Edu set to lead NF Football Investments, the club is determined to establish themselves permanently among the elite after their best season in decades.
Fresh from an FA Cup semi final appearance against Manchester City, Forest’s resurgence appears to be gaining momentum, even as their controversial owner takes a necessary step back to comply with UEFA regulations.
Contact the writer of this story, Paul Nicholson, at moc.l1746109722labto1746109722ofdlr1746109722owedi1746109722sni@o1746109722fni1746109722