AliousVitor Pereira has hailed his side’s character and squad depth after Nottingham Forest secured a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Midtjylland to reach the Europa League quarter-finals. The Portuguese tactician expressed his delight at the performance of his fringe players as the club now prepares for a pivotal Premier League showdown against Tottenham.
Pereira finds balance ahead of Spurs clash
With a massive Premier League relegation battle against Tottenham looming on Sunday, Pereira made the bold decision to make nine changes to his starting line-up. Despite the heavy rotation, the Forest boss was adamant that his team showed exactly why they belong on the European stage. Speaking to TNT Sports after the final whistle, the manager highlighted the importance of managing his squad’s fitness during a congested fixture list.
“We are very happy and we proved we came here to compete. We have good players, talented players. We played fantastic in the first half,” Pereira said.
“I’m very happy because we did everything, tried everything and I have a chance to balance the energy of the players to prepare the next game. Fantastic. I started to do the subs not because we were playing in a bad way, but to balance the energy and to be ready for Sunday.”
Belief and momentum building in the squad
The victory marks Forest’s first win since their play-off success against Fenerbahce, which also coincided with Pereira’s appointment. The manager believes the psychological boost of a European win will be vital as they return to domestic duties. He praised the collective mentality of the team, insisting that the squad possesses the necessary traits to navigate the difficult challenges that lie ahead in both the Europa League and the Premier League.
“When we win it is different. The spirit is different, the energy is different. The boys deserved it because they are a fantastic group. Very good players, with team spirit, character, and we showed everything today,” Pereira added. “I don’t have any doubts we have the quality and will compete to achieve our targets, for sure. I want to thank our supporters because today they deserved to keep going in the Europa League.”
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