Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santos reacts to FA Cup semi-final defeat and says that "We must accept that we lost but recognise we worked really hard for it"
27/04/2025
Wembley Stadium, London, UK
27/04/2025
Wembley Stadium, London, UK
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SportsTranscript
00:00Anino, your thoughts on the performance and despite the result, that chance with Alanga,
00:05could it have been a different game if that had gone in?
00:09We started really well, a really bad game, so City started really well.
00:13Clinic on the first chance, what makes us everything hard.
00:16I think we took a little time to feel comfortable, to adjust,
00:22but after that I think we did a good game, a good game.
00:25First half more difficult, second half I think the momentum changed a little bit,
00:33we had a couple of chances that could put the game in a different story, but overall
00:42hard work was there, commitment was there, the boys gave it all, so we must accept that we lost,
00:49but recognize that we worked very hard for it.
00:52Do you think the players looked a bit overall?
00:54Sorry?
00:54Do you think the players looked a bit overall at the start with the occasion and
00:57the size of the stadium and everything?
00:59Because it looked like it just got to them a little bit in those first 15 minutes.
01:03No, I don't say, I say that City created a lot of problems,
01:08City created a lot of problems, especially when they are in front of the scoreboard,
01:14how they keep the ball and try to unbalance it creates a lot of problems, it's not easy.
01:20I imagine you've got a real feeling of pride though, after today with the support and
01:23the way the players responded in the second half.
01:26Yeah, of course, of course, today is a sad day, it's going to be hard, but tomorrow when you wake
01:32up and the sadness is gone and the bad humor, we're going to know that we have big things ahead of us to
01:39fight for.
01:40Can this be a learning experience for you?
01:46Can this be a game that you can learn something from for the future?
01:49Yeah, I think we always learn, always learn from the games. I think we always learn individually,
01:56as a team, as a club. I think as a club today we have learned also that it's possible to achieve what
02:05we want to achieve. Very thankful for the way the fans stick to the end to give us an applause,
02:12we cannot thank them enough, and we keep going.
02:16Can I ask about Zach Abbott as well? You obviously gave him a chance, a teenager,
02:20and he didn't really let anybody down, did he? He did well.
02:22Yeah, he did well, he's a young lad, he played out of position, we all know that,
02:27but I'm really proud of the way he competed against such good players and the way he handled himself.
02:35He's going to have a bright future ahead of him.
02:37Nuno, how important is it to quickly pick yourselves up after this, because you've still
02:47got five big games and a lot to play for in the league?
02:49Yeah, yeah, it's what I mentioned. Today is tough, it's tough. We put a lot of effort in the FA Cup.
02:57And you can see the desire of the players and all of us wanted to try to achieve it,
03:04but like you said, I think tomorrow when we wake up and we see that what's ahead of us,
03:11it can only bring us more energy to the last moments of the season.
03:15So do you think if Anthony Ilanga maybe had started, it would have been different?
03:20Is there any kind of regrets?
03:21Yeah, I just answered this question. It was not easy to put the team together,
03:26but I was not sure if Anthony could play right back.
03:33Thank you very much.
03:36Just one last one, Nuno. The performance of Morgan, he was so unlucky not to score,
03:39and he really drove the team on in the second half.
03:41Yeah, they did an amazing job. It's fine margins. I think hopefully we can adjust them,
03:46and Thursday is going to be there. Thank you.