Nottingham Forest have taken steps to ensure they remain on the right side of UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules – in light of their progress in the Europa League.
Evangelos Marinakis, owner of the Premier League club, also owns Greek club Olympiacos, who could secure a place in the Champions League, depending on how their title challenge in the Super League unfolds.
Forest would also secure a place in the most prestigious of the European competitions, if they do manage to win the Europa League in Istanbul in May.
That remains a big if – Vitor Pereira’s side have a long way to go before they can contemplate a place in the final, as they prepare for a last-16 tie against Midtjylland.
Last season, Marinakis placed his shares in a blind trust, as the side managed by Nuno Espirito Santo pushed for an unexpected top-five finish. It meant the Greek shipping and media magnate was not officially permitted to have a say in the day-to-day running of the club.
The club have taken the necessary steps again now, to avoid any issues should Pereira’s team manage to achieve the remarkable feat of securing a first European trophy for Forest since they lifted the second of their back-to-back European Cups in 1980.
While Forest’s Champions League qualification is a very long way from being confirmed, UEFA rules dictate that these changes had to happen before the end of the month.
Changes to the club’s board have been registered with Companies House (the executive agency of the British government that maintains the register of companies), with Mighael Dugher, Simon Forster, and Jonathan Owen all temporarily removed, as was the case last season.
If both clubs (Forest and Olympiacos) qualify for the same competition, it would mean that Marinakis would have to pause his involvement in one of the two throughout next season.
Midtjylland will visit the City Ground – where the Danish side won 3-2 in the league phase of the competition in October – on March 12, before Forest head to Scandinavia for the second leg on March 19.
Forest earned their place in the last 16 with a 4-2 aggregate win over Fenerbahce, despite losing 2-1 to the Turkish side at the City Ground last Thursday.
If they can gain revenge on Midtjylland, Forest would face either Porto or Stuttgart in the quarter-final, with Roma and Aston Villa among their potential opponents in the semi-final, if they can progress that far.
What does this mean for Forest?
It is a mood that might simultaneously be labeled both cautious and optimistic. But in reality, it is the only logical step for Forest to take.
There is only a slim possibility that they will lift the Europa League trophy in Istanbul on May 20, Forest would need to beat another four sides to achieve that – possibly including Villa or Roma in the semi-final.
But it is still a possibility, even if their continued struggle against relegation and the fact that they are playing under their fourth different manager of the campaign will mean that they will not be among the favourites to do so.
And imagine a world where they do lift the trophy – as a struggling Tottenham side did only last season – but were then denied the reward of Champions League football, because they had not taken the precaution of adhering to the required bureaucracy.