"It could get nasty" - Marcelino Nunez warned of Norwich City fan backlash as Ipswich Town clash looms | OneFootball

FLW's Norwich Fan Pundit Zeke speaks on the reception that Marcelino Nunez will receive at Carrow Road.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Chilean midfielder Marcelino Nunez shocked the EFL this summer by making the move from Norwich City to Ipswich Town.

After starring in midfield for the Canaries since his arrival in 2022, the feeling was that Nunez was ready for a move away, though not a single Norwich supporter would have expected his destination to be Portman Road.

After a deal worth up to £10 million was reached, Nunez went on to receive understandable criticism, including from ex-Norwich winger Onel Hernandez, who posted a 13-minute rant about the move on his YouTube channel.

The countdown is on for the first clash between the two sides in October; however, Nunez will not be welcomed back to Carrow Road until April, with both sides aiming to be in and around the promotion race by that point of the season.

FLW's Norwich Fan Pundit, Zeke Downes, spoke about the reception that the midfielder will receive from Canaries fans following his move across East Anglia.

"The question is how bad?" — Marcelino Nunez's Carrow Road reception

"The question is how bad, rather than if he will," said Zeke when asked whether the midfielder would receive a bad reception upon his Carrow Road return.

"It could get nasty. I know that a lot of fans will speak their mind and will make it very clear what they think about him."

The 25-year-old made 107 appearances during his time in Norfolk, earning a reputation as a classy operator in the middle of the park. However, his performances for the Canaries are still not enough to forgive Nunez for switching to arch-rivals Ipswich.

"I would not be surprised if the booing lasts for the entirety of his time on the pitch," added Zeke. "If he starts, then it will be constant every time he is on the ball. If he comes on as a substitute, then it will be unbelievably loud."

Concluding, Zeke said that: "It is probably going to be the worst reception that a player has ever received at Carrow Road."

Nunez had earned a move - but he crossed a line

Following Norwich's relegation back to the Championship in 2022, Nunez arrived from Chilean outfit Universidad Catolica, with his clear quality being another fine example of the Canaries' fantastic recruitment system.

Despite suffering injury setbacks during his time at Carrow Road, the class of Nunez was always evident - particularly from dead-ball situations. There was always the feeling that he was ready for a step-up to a team of higher quality, something that Norwich themselves haven't been able to offer since their return to the second tier.

While the Canaries are already looking a much better outfit than they did last season, which ended in a 13th-place finish, the side is still very much a work in progress under new head coach Liam Manning.

Nunez's new club, Ipswich, were relegated from the Premier League last term, and went into the new campaign as the red-hot favourites to achieve promotion back to the top flight at the first time of asking.

After a poor start, the Tractor Boys have picked up form following the international break, dispatching Sheffield United 5-0 last Friday.

However, Nunez was never going to get away with making the move without backlash from Norwich supporters, no matter the form or quality of their rivals.

Had he made a move abroad, to the Premier League, or to another side set to be up there come May, the majority of supporters would have wished him well.

But Nunez crossed a line, and there will be keen eyes in Norfolk waiting to pounce on any dip in form or error, and the reception he will receive in April will most certainly be worth a watch for the neutral, even more so if both clubs are fighting at the top end of the division.