Nottingham Forest earned a resilient 1-1 draw against Porto in their Europa League quarter-final first leg, though the match was overshadowed by a disallowed Igor Jesus goal that would have given the Reds a crucial away victory.
Head coach Vitor Pereira refused to be drawn into the controversy surrounding a late VAR decision that stripped Nottingham Forest of a win at the Estádio do Dragão.
After substitute Igor Jesus found the net, a handball review overturned the goal, leaving the tie level ahead of the return leg at the City Ground.
Pereira, returning to his former club, opted for discretion when questioned about the call, stating, “It is better to keep the opinion with me.”
Despite the refereeing drama, Pereira expressed satisfaction with the result, especially given his heavy squad rotation.
Prioritizing Premier League survival ahead of a critical clash with Aston Villa, the manager made nine changes to the side.
Reflecting on his halftime withdrawals of key players, he told TNT Sports, “The first two subs we did… I was thinking about the next game against Villa. It’s very important for us to get points in the league.”
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