BBC Sport Reports: Nottingham Forest’s Champions League Hopes Hit by Brentford Defeat
In a disappointing display, Nottingham Forest fell to a defeat at home to Brentford, denting their hopes of securing a Champions League spot. The loss, which marked their third in four league outings, has left Forest needing to rely on others to drop points if they are to achieve their goal.
According to BBC Sport, Nuno Espirito Santo had urged his team to rise to the occasion in the build-up to the match, describing the final five games of the season as the “biggest of our careers”. However, his team failed to heed his words, putting in a lacklustre performance against Brentford.
The defeat comes on the back of a disappointing showing in the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City at Wembley, and will be a major concern for Espirito Santo and his coaching team. As BBC Sport notes, Forest had been seeking to quickly bounce back from that defeat and get back on track in the league, with the Champions League firmly in their sights.
However, the team failed to impress in any area of the pitch, with Elliot Anderson registering Forest’s only shot on target in the first half, a routine save for Brentford goalkeeper Flekken. The introduction of Nicolas Dominguez at the break appeared to spark some improvement, but ultimately, Forest were unable to find a way past the Brentford defence.
As the BBC Sport report highlights, one of the major concerns for Forest will be the form of striker Chris Wood, who is just one goal shy of becoming the second Forest player to hit 20 in a Premier League season after Stan Collymore (22). However, Wood struggled to impose himself on the game, and will be looking to get back to his best form with just four games left to play.
The defeat means that Forest have lost some control of their destiny in the hunt for a Champions League spot, and will need to rely on others to drop points if they are to achieve their goal. With at least five spaces up for grabs, Forest still remain firmly in the hunt, but will need to regroup and produce a strong finish to the season if they are to succeed.
The BBC Sport report also notes that Brentford’s victory was a comfortable one, with the team finding life far too easy at a ground that has been a fortress for Forest for most of the 2024-25 season. As the team looks to bounce back from this defeat, they will need to draw on their home form to mount a challenge for the Champions League spot.
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