Tottenham outcast Nuno Espirito Santo RETURNS to the Premier League with Nottingham Forest

Nuno will look to uplift the 17th-placed Forest.

Tottenham outcast Nuno Espirito Santo RETURNS to the Premier League with Nottingham Forest

Nuno Espirito Santo. (Source: Nottingham Forrest)

After trying his hands at managing a star-studded squad with Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, Nuno Espirito Santo has decided to make a comeback to the Premier League as the 17th-placed Nottingham Forest decided to sack Steve Cooper after being dissatisfied with his services.

The former Wolves and Spurs manager was sacked by the Saudi team due to his differences with Karim Benzema. However, his extreme Premier League experience could be exactly what Forest needs as they look to survive the relegation battle.

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Santo’s first game in charge will be against Bournemouth on Saturday. The 49-year-old manager has earlier gotten surprising results over great managers like Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp. This edifies his tactical awareness concerning the players at his disposal.

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After losing five of their last six games, it was quite predictable that Cooper’s days at Nottingham Forest were numbered. With Nuno’s appointment for the next two-and-a-half years, he will aim to rejuvenate the squad and guide the club towards their goals, by providing stability.

What happened between Nuno and Benzema that led to his sacking

A heated clash between Karim Benzema and Nuno Espirito Santo emerged as the cause for the manager’s departure from Al-Ittihad. The incident took place during halftime of Al-Ittihad’s AFC Champions League match, resulting in a 2-0 defeat against Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya.

Nuno Espirito Santo and Karim Benzema in training
Nuno Espirito Santo and Karim Benzema in the training session for the Al Ittihad club in Saudi Arabia. (Source: Al Ittihad Club)

Espirito Santo criticized Benzema for being ‘lazy’, sparking a heated exchange. Benzema insisted on talking to the whole group, emphasizing his leadership role. The fallout led to Espirito Santo’s dismissal, with reports indicating Benzema conveyed to the board that the manager hindered progress.

The revelation triggered Al-Ittihad’s search for a new manager. Espirito Santo’s departure highlights the managerial challenges in handling dressing room conflicts, shaping Al-Ittihad’s Saudi League trajectory. Marcelo Gallardo has been appointed as the new manager for the club and is now fifth in the league, far behind the top spot

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