Nottingham Forest sack coach Nuno Espírito Santo | OneFootball

Nuno Espírito Santo has become the first manager to be sacked in this season’s Premier League, with Nottingham Forest confirming his departure late on Monday night.

Under Nuno’s guidance, Forest surprised many last season by competing until the final day for Champions League qualification, eventually finishing in 7th place.

The campaign represented a huge step forward for Forest, who had finished just one place above relegation in 17th the previous term. Forest have qualified for this season’s Europa Conference League, but Nuno will not be at the helm when the Reds make their long-awaited return to European football.

A club statement read:

“Nottingham Forest Football Club confirms that, following recent circumstances, Nuno Espírito Santo has today been relieved of his duties as Head Coach.

The Club thanks Nuno for his contribution during a very successful era at the City Ground, in particular his role in the 2024/25 season, which will forever be remembered fondly in the history of the Club.

As someone who played a pivotal role in our success last season, he will always hold a special place in our journey.”

Nuno’s relationship with the Forest board has been under very public strain in recent weeks, particularly after the former Porto boss admitted in the press that he no longer enjoys a close bond with owner Evangelos Marinakis. “Our relationship has changed. It’s not so close. It’s not on a daily basis. It’s not good, everyone at the club should be together but it’s not the reality,” Nuno said last month.

The rift is believed to derive from Nuno’s contemptuous stance on the club’s new sporting director, Edu Gaspar, who arrived this summer. According to a recent report in the Athletic, Nuno has been clear in his hostility towards the Brazilian, who in tandem with businessman Kia Joorabchian, have reduced the influence of Nuno’s agent Jorge Mendes at the club.

Forest have taken four points from their first three matches of the new season and sit 10th in the table. Their last outing before the international break saw a surprising 3-0 home defeat by West Ham United, which likely came at the worst possible time for Nuno’s prospects ahead of the domestic pause.