Istanbul – Vítor Pereira faces a swift return to familiar surroundings as he begins his mission to revive Nottingham Forest, taking charge of his first match against Fenerbahce on Thursday evening. The Europa League playoff first leg marks Pereira’s first assignment with Forest at one of his 13 former clubs, a place where he previously spent two spells as manager, most recently in 2021.
The Portuguese manager, who replaced Sean Dyche at the helm of the Premier League side, acknowledged the challenge awaiting his team in Turkey. “For the players, this is the atmosphere that they enjoy to play in,” Pereira said. “They enjoy to play in this kind of energy. For me, it is a pleasure to be here and to face a team with passion and to show our passion, show our energy, show our ambition. To play with courage and organisation.”
Forest’s journey to this point has been turbulent, marked by a managerial carousel since qualifying for European competition for the first time since the 1995-96 season. Nuno Espírito Santo initially expressed excitement about facing Porto in August, a tie that ultimately became Sean Dyche’s first in charge in October. Ange Postecoglou then took the reins, followed by Dyche, before Pereira’s appointment. A 4-0 victory over Ferencvaros in January offered a brief respite, but ultimately proved insufficient to steady the ship.
The atmosphere at Sukru Saracoglu Stadium is expected to be intense, a factor Pereira believes his players can embrace. “Since the first day you can start to give this energy to them, to pass this energy to them,” he explained. “I believe that a team absorbs a lot of the personality of the coach or manager. We need to think about the game as an opportunity to show our qualities to prove ourselves and at the end of the game be proud of what we did and what we showed.”
Midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White echoed Pereira’s sentiments, stating, “I think as players you get used to change, because some players come and go, managers come and go. It is important for us as players to stick together in these moments.” He added that the squad was “really excited” about the new manager’s arrival and his clear vision for the team.
Pereira has had limited time to work with the squad, with only three training sessions, including one upon arrival in Istanbul. Despite the short preparation period, he is confident his message has resonated. “From the first day you can start to give this energy to them,” he reiterated.
Fenerbahce, under the guidance of Domenico Tedesco, present a formidable opponent. The Turkish side are enjoying a strong season, currently second in the Super Lig and unbeaten in league play. Their squad boasts a wealth of talent, including Ederson, Marco Asensio, Nélson Semedo, and recent arrival N’Golo Kanté, who joined from the Saudi Pro League this month. Fenerbahce’s only home defeats this season came against Aston Villa in the Europa League in January and against rivals Besiktas in the Turkish Cup.
Pereira has fond memories of his time with Fenerbahce, having reached the Turkish Cup final with the club in 2016. He expressed his pleasure at returning to Istanbul, noting the warm reception he received from local journalists and fans. “It is a pleasure to be here, an honour, I have very great memories of the stadium, the supporters, the people, the club,” he said. “I’m very happy to be here again and I hope we can enjoy the game. I’m expecting a game with quality, a lot of talent inside the pitch, with two teams that want to play in a good way and with quality – and a fantastic atmosphere, for sure.”
Defender Murillo has trained with the side and is in contention to play on Thursday, but Matz Sels has been replaced in the Europa League squad by Stefan Ortega, though Pereira insisted Sels’ injury is not long term and he is “recovering well.”
