Nottingham Forest owner and Taiwo Awoniyi’s boss, Evangelos Marinakis, found himself at the center of the action after Liverpool’s late winner sparked chaos.
Darwin Nunez’s goal deep into added time left Forest stunned and their owner incensed.
Awoniyi’s boss chases referee
As the referee, Paul Tierney, made his way down the tunnel, Marinakis, fueled by frustration, reportedly had to be restrained by security. His pursuit of Tierney highlighted the intensity of the moment and the emotions running high.
The match had already seen its fair share of controversy when Tierney stopped play during a Forest attack due to a head injury to Ibrahima Konate as a result of a clash with his goalkeeper.
But what really upset Forest was when the ball was given back to Liverpool as a fair play advantage, despite a Nottingham Forest player not being involved in the challenge. Liverpool seized their chance, and Nunez delivered the decisive blow, heading home an Alexis MacAllister cross.
The aftermath was nothing short of chaotic, with furious exchanges on the benches and Forest coach Steven Reid being sent off. Even substitute Felipe couldn’t escape the referee’s wrath, earning himself a yellow card in the midst of the commotion.
Rob Schofield, a reporter for BBC Radio Five Live, present at the scene, said, “You rarely see scenes like that in the tunnel.
“We saw Steven Reid getting frustrated. He and the Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis pursued referee Paul Tierney and fourth official Graham Scott all the way to referee’s office, yelling at them “Respect the players! Respect the players! This happens every week! Respect the players!” as reported by the mirror.
