Nottingham Forest Confronts Fireworks Chaos in Europa League Match

Pyrotechnics Disruption

Players from Nottingham Forest faced a chaotic start as Fenerbahce supporters launched fireworks onto the pitch during the opening moments of their Europa League playoff second leg.

Despite suffering a 2-1 defeat in the match, Nottingham Forest advanced to the round of 16 with an aggregate score of 4-2, thanks to a commanding three-goal advantage secured from the first leg.

Match Delays and Player Reactions

The game experienced a three-minute halt shortly after kickoff due to the dangerous antics of approximately 1,500 traveling fans at The City Ground, who directed multiple fireworks towards Forest’s penalty area.

Defender Jair Cunha had to react quickly as he was facing away from the chaos, while teammate Neco Williams ducked to avoid being struck while trying to remove one of the fireworks from the field.

Fenerbahce’s Archie Brown, a former Derby academy player, also played a role in the incident by moving some of the fireworks off the pitch while attempting to calm his supporters.

Potential Consequences for Both Clubs

Both Nottingham Forest and Fenerbahce may face repercussions from UEFA following the incident. A noticeable police presence was seen outside the City Ground ahead of the match as officials managed the spirited fans entering the stadium.

Having entered the match with a significant 3-0 lead from the previous encounter, Forest is now set to compete against either Real Betis or FC Midtjylland in the upcoming round of 16.

Fenerbahce ignited hopes of a potential comeback when Kerem Aktürkoglu scored the opening goal in the 22nd minute, a moment that prompted another wave of fireworks to be thrown onto the pitch.