NOTTINGHAM FOREST owner Evangelos Marinakis shared an ambitious Champions League prediction ahead of next season.
Forest have been the Premier League’s surprise package this term as they are third in the table ahead of the likes of Chelsea and defending champions Manchester City.
Nottingham are pushing for their first ever Champions League qualification after almost three decades away from any European competition despite barely surviving the drop the last two seasons.
The Tricky Trees are seven points above sixth-placed Newcastle and thus pose among the Prem’s favourites to play in Europe’s elite competition next season.
Forest may be joined by Marinakis’ other club Olympiacos, who made history last season by becoming the first ever Greek team to win a European trophy when they lifted the Europa Conference League.
The Greek giants are top of the Super League and need to win the title to practically seal a place in the league phase – they will then hope Aston Villa or Borussia Dortmund don’t win the Champions League.
Marinakis, 57, has more ambitious goals after doing the unthinkable by helping Olympiacos win a European trophy and guiding Forest into an almost certain top-five finish.
The Greek businessman took part in a documentary commemorating Olympiacos’ 100-year anniversary where he addressed both of his teams’ path in next season’s elite comeptition.
And the shipping magnate expressed his confidence that one of his teams will “surely” win the Champions League soon.
Marinakis told Mega: “I’m sure you’ve heard many things, what I have to say is that since both clubs will compete in the Champions League one of them is sure to win it.”
Neither of his two teams have sealed a place in the competition yet as they still face some tough matches ahead.
Forest have nine Premier League games to go against the likes of Manchester United, Villa, Tottenham and Chelsea.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are also in the FA Cup where they will visit Brighton in the quarter-finals next week.
Olympiacos, on the other hand, are seven points ahead of second-placed AEK Athens in Greece.
Jose Luis Mendilibar’s men are facing six tough play-off matches against title foes AEK, defending champions PAOK and eternal rivals Panathinaikos.
The reigning Conference League winners will also have the chance to win their first Double in five years when they take on either OFI or Asteras Tripolis in the Greek Cup final.
Nevertheless, steps are already being taken to comply with UEFA competition regulations in case both of Marinakis’ clubs make it to the Champions League.
The rules prohibit clubs controlled by the same ownership structure from competing in the same European competition and thus a club reshuffle commenced last month.
Documents were recently filed on the Companies House website that confirm Forest co-owner Sokratis Kominakis and Ioannis Vrentzos are no longer directors at the City Ground.
Both Vrentzos and Kominakis will retain their positions at Olympiacos.
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