Regardless of the result in Seville last night, Nottingham Forest supporters will have endured a night full of memories – one that would’ve been unthinkable just a handful of years ago.
Ange Postecoglou’s side claimed a 2-2 draw against Spanish side Real Betis, but some form of disappointment will be felt after failing to hold onto the victory.
Cedric Bakambu put the hosts ahead, but Igor Jesus’ quick-fire double within a couple of minutes put the Reds 2-1 up heading into the half-time break.
It looked as though Forest could hold on for an iconic first game back in Europe for 30 years, but it wasn’t to be as Antony fired in a late equaliser to steal a point.
Whilst the Reds were unable to claim all three points, the first 45-minute showing was one of the club’s best in many years, with numerous players catching the eye during such a period.
Douglas Luiz’s stats for Forest against Real Betis
After starting back-to-back games for the first time, Douglas Luiz was handed a third start in a row for Forest last night – once again producing a sensational display at the heart of the side.
The Brazilian operated alongside Elliot Anderson and Ibrahim Sangare in the middle of the park, with the trio dominating the Spanish outfit during the first half of the meeting.
The 27-year-old completed 88% of the passes he attempted, whilst also achieving a 100% cross completion rate – showcasing the impressive nature he produced with the ball at his feet.
His cross came in the 23rd minute, with his perfectly placed cross landing on the head of Jesus, who managed to double his tally just five minutes after netting his first.
Without the ball, Luiz was just as impressive for Postecoglou’s side, making two recoveries and winning two ground duels – in what was a superb all-round showing.
However, to the surprise of many, the former Aston Villa star was replaced at halftime, subsequently being replaced by winger Dilane Bakwa for the second half of the clash with Manuel Pellegrini’s side.
It was confirmed after the game that the midfielder was replaced as a precaution, but the decision to sub on one player was arguably a bigger mistake than taking the Brazilian off.
The Forest player who failed to impress against Real Betis
The clash against Betis last night has given a generation of supporters the chance to experience the European days that will have been spoken about by loved ones before them.
For years, the club have been languishing in the Championship, but the rise has been remarkable, with huge credit needing to go in the direction of owner Evangelos Marinakis for his constant funding and ambition.
Such ambition was highlighted during the summer transfer window, with the Greek businessman dropping over £200m on new additions to help create a squad capable of competing in the Europa League.
Squad depth is something that is huge for European competition, not to mention the Premier League – with the Reds desperately needing to be competitive on all fronts in 2025/26.
Such rapid success has seen big money being spent by the board, subsequently completing the £26m transfer of French forward Arnaud Kalimuendo late on in the window.
The 23-year-old is yet to start a single game for the Reds, but has made numerous substitute appearances – even coming off the bench in the 64th minute last night.
However, after replacing goalscorer Jesus, he was always going to have a huge task on his hands, something which he ultimately failed to live up to in Seville.
Minutes played
26
Touches
13
Passes completed
5
Possession lost
6x
Duels lost
100%
Shots taken
0
Touches in opposition box
2
Fouls committed
1
Kalimuendo featured for just 26 minutes, only registering 13 touches of the ball, but ironically, it was his failure to bring the ball under his spell which saw him squander a key chance to kill the game off.
He also only completed a total of five passes, losing possession six times – showcasing his lack of positive impact after having the trust shown in him by Ange to add the finishing touches to the performance.
The Frenchman also got dominated by the Spanish backline, subsequently losing 100% of the duels he entered, with Ange making a huge mistake in not keeping Jesus on the pitch.
To top off Kalimuendo’s dismal outing, he was subsequently handed a 6/10 match rating by Nottingham Post journalist Sarah Clapson – further highlighting his lack of impact.
There’s no denying he’s a hugely talented player with a huge future, but ultimately it was the wrong decision to bring the youngster on – with a more bruising focal point needed to see out the narrow win.
However, he will still have a huge role to play in the months ahead, with the Reds having to negotiate a contested fixture schedule in Europe and domestically heading into the new year.
The main focus will be on Luiz, with real hope that the Brazilian’s injury isn’t too serious to allow him to continue his excellent form against Sunderland on Saturday night.