Nottingham Forest routs Fenerbahçe in Europa League playoff

Vítor Pereira's debut as Nottingham Forest manager results in a decisive 3-0 away win.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Nottingham Forest defeated Turkish club Fenerbahçe 3-0 in the first leg of their Europa League playoff match. The victory came in Vítor Pereira's first game as Nottingham Forest's new manager, as the Portuguese coach made an immediate impact with his new team.

Why it matters

Nottingham Forest is looking to return to European competition for the first time since the 1990s, and this decisive road win puts them in a strong position to advance to the Europa League group stage. Fenerbahçe, one of Turkey's biggest clubs, will now face an uphill battle to overcome the deficit in the second leg.

The details

Nottingham Forest scored all three of their goals in the second half, with Pereira's new signings making an immediate impact. Midfielder Gustavo Pereira opened the scoring in the 55th minute, followed by a goal from striker Matheus Pereira in the 68th minute. Defender Felipe Monteiro added a third goal in the 82nd minute to seal the convincing victory for the English club.

  • The match was played on February 19, 2026.

The players

Vítor Pereira

The new manager of Nottingham Forest, taking over the club in February 2026.

Gustavo Pereira

Nottingham Forest midfielder who scored the opening goal in the 3-0 win.

Matheus Pereira

Nottingham Forest striker who scored the second goal in the 3-0 win.

Felipe Monteiro

Nottingham Forest defender who scored the third goal in the 3-0 win.

Fenerbahçe

The Turkish club that lost 3-0 at home to Nottingham Forest in the Europa League playoff.

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What they’re saying

“We knew this was going to be a tough match against a quality opponent, but the team executed the game plan perfectly. I'm proud of the effort and look forward to the second leg.”

— Vítor Pereira, Manager, Nottingham Forest (expressnews.com)

What’s next

The second leg of the Europa League playoff between Nottingham Forest and Fenerbahçe will be played on February 26, 2026.

The takeaway

Nottingham Forest's decisive road victory in Vítor Pereira's managerial debut puts the English club in a strong position to return to European competition for the first time in decades, while Fenerbahçe faces an uphill battle to overcome the 3-0 deficit in the second leg.