Forest coach Santo on Champions League pursuit: ‘We’re in a battle that surprised everyone’

Nuno Espirito Santo expressed his pride in Nottingham Forest for their involvement in the battle for Champions League qualification, as well as their progression to the FA Cup semi-finals, following their 2-1 victory against Tottenham Hotspur away from home on Monday.

With this win, Forest climbed back to third place in the league standings and currently hold the advantage among five clubs competing for the coveted Champions League positions, trailing only behind Liverpool and Arsenal.

“We find ourselves in a contest that nobody anticipated, ourselves included,” noted Espirito Santo.

“We are standing toe-to-toe with some of the biggest teams, which brings us great pride. We welcome the challenge,” added the former Spurs manager.

Forest raced to a two-goal lead within the opening 16 minutes, courtesy of strikes from Elliot Anderson and Chris Wood, before absorbing significant pressure from Tottenham. Despite conceding a goal in the 87th minute when Richarlison headed in, they managed to hold on for the win.

Their impressive campaign has the potential to be even more rewarding this weekend, as they prepare to face Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-finals.

“We are on the brink of a significant week for us. We’re heading to Wembley to face a formidable opponent, and there are plenty of matches on the horizon. If we maintain this mentality and continue to compete effectively, you never know what might happen,” he remarked.

Despite Tottenham dominating possession and registering 22 shots compared to Forest’s four, Espirito Santo has instilled a counter-attacking style and an intense work ethic in his squad.

He praised the efforts of defender Harry Toffolo, who made a rare start and executed a brilliant clearance off the line, as well as Chris Wood, who notched his 19th league goal of the season.

“Even if a player isn’t a regular starter, I still believe they can play a crucial role,” Espirito Santo remarked. “And Harry certainly did that.”