Vitor Pereira was impressed with the quality of Nottingham Forest’s performance after they eased to a dominant 3-0 win over Fenerbahce in the first leg of their Europe League playoffs on Thursday.
The Portuguese was appointed last week after the dismissal of Sean Dyche, becoming their fourth permanent manager of the season and guided them to an emphatic win in his first game in charge.
Unlike in their previous clash against Wolves when they were utterly dominant but failed to produce attacking results, the Tricky Trees made their dominance count this time around in Istanbul.
“The quality of the players [I liked the most]. I asked them to express themselves on the pitch. They did it”, Pereira revealed after the match.
“We had a chance to score two more goals. It was a very good result. It is only half-time, we need to be consistent, the schedule is tight and difficult. Everyone must be ready to help the team. This is what I ask them.
“It was a consistent game for us. We deserved the result.”
Murillo opened the scoring with a long-range stunner, before Igor Jesus added the second, continuing his fine form in Europe this season.
Morgan Gibbs-White, who had provided the assist for the second goal, swept home a third for Forest as they recorded a big away win against Pereira’s former club.
The Tricky Trees have one leg in the Round of 16 after their three-goal advantage, ahead of next week’s second leg in England.
“I realised before I came that the players have a lot of quality. They need results but they need to enjoy the game. If they enjoy the way they are playing they can have a high level. They need just organisation and confidence”, Pereira concluded.
Nottingham Forest face Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday, before their second leg tie against Fenerbahce next Thursday, with the winner advancing to face either Real Betis or Midtjylland.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
