Nottingham Forest manager Vítor Pereira has admitted that the club’s fight for Premier League survival will take priority over their Europa League ambitions as the season enters a crucial stage.
Forest face a difficult trip to Denmark on Thursday, where they will take on FC Midtjylland in the second leg of their Europa League round-of-16 tie. Pereira’s side trail 1–0 from the first leg and must overturn the deficit to progress. However, the Portuguese coach has revealed he plans to rotate his squad for the European clash with one eye firmly on the Premier League.
Just three days after the European fixture, Forest travel to north London to face Tottenham in a match that could have a significant impact on their relegation battle.
Speaking after Forest’s goalless draw with Fulham at the City Ground, Pereira explained that managing player workload has become essential during a demanding run of fixtures.
“I need to rotate the team because it is the third game after three days,” Pereira said. “We will go there with the spirit to fight for qualification, of course, but if I don’t rotate the team and then we have Tottenham after three days again with travel, it would not be possible to compete.”
The Forest boss stressed that every Premier League game carries equal importance in their fight to avoid the drop.
“Tottenham is an important game because it’s another chance for us to get points,” he added. “But even if we win against Tottenham and then lose the games until the end of the season, relegation will still happen. Every match now has the same importance because we need points from everywhere.”
Forest showed encouraging spirit against Fulham but were once again let down by a lack of goals. The stalemate means the club has now scored just twice in their last seven Premier League matches at home, a run that continues to threaten their survival hopes.
There were moments of frustration for Pereira’s side during the match. Dan Ndoye had a goal ruled out for a marginal offside, and a penalty decision was also overturned after VAR showed the winger had strayed beyond the defensive line.
Pereira admitted he believed Ndoye’s effort had given his team the lead before the decision was reversed.
“I celebrated the goal and waited for the decision. I was convinced it was a clear goal,” he said. “In the end, it’s football. Sometimes it is one centimetre. Against Liverpool the decision was to give the goal, and today it was the opposite.”
Despite the disappointment, the manager praised his team’s effort and determination.
“What I keep in my mind about this game is the spirit of the team. They tried everything to win.”
Fulham manager Marco Silva acknowledged that his side faced a difficult challenge at the City Ground but was satisfied with a point and a clean sheet.
“It was difficult, definitely, as we expected,” Silva said. “At this stage of the season, every game becomes harder because teams are fighting for different objectives. A point away from home and a clean sheet is very important for us.”
With the season entering its decisive phase, Nottingham Forest must now balance their European campaign with the urgent need to collect Premier League points. Pereira’s decision to prioritise survival highlights just how critical the coming weeks will be for the club.