Nottingham fans are convinced they’ve been ‘scammed’ as new signing ‘flops’ vs Real betis and demand he’s drop from squad

Nottingham Forest Fans Unleash Fury on New Signing Dilane Bakwa After Dismal Europa League Debut

Nottingham Forest’s eagerly anticipated return to European football after 29 years ended in frustration with a 2-2 draw against Real Betis in Seville on September 24, 2025. While Igor Jesus’s brace offered glimpses of promise under Ange Postecoglou, the match exposed glaring weaknesses, particularly from the club’s £30 million deadline-day signing, Dilane Bakwa. The 22-year-old French winger, poached from RC Strasbourg amid high expectations, endured a nightmare debut that has ignited a firestorm of criticism from Reds supporters on social media and forums.

Bakwa, deployed on the right flank to add dynamism to Forest’s attack, was a passenger in the sweltering Andalusian heat. Substituted on at halftime for Douglas Luiz, he touched the ball just 14 times in 45 minutes, completing a woeful 2 out of 7 passes and failing to complete a single dribble against Betis’s robust defense. His lack of impact was epitomized in the 85th minute when, caught in possession during a rare foray forward, he lost the ball sloppily, sparking the counter that led to Antony’s equalizer. “What a waste of £30m. Bakwa’s slower than a Sunday stroll—looks lost out there,” vented @TrentsideTrickster on X, a post that garnered over 5,000 likes in hours.

The backlash intensified online, with #BakwaOut trending among Forest’s 200,000-plus followers. “Thought he was the next big thing? More like the next big flop. Zero threat, zero excuses,” echoed @GaribaldiGroveFan in a viral thread dissecting his heat maps, which showed him hugging the touchline like a reluctant schoolboy. Pre-match hype had painted Bakwa as a “sensational” addition, with supercomputer predictions even forecasting a brace. Instead, his timid showing—zero shots, zero key passes—contrasted sharply with the flair expected from a player dubbed “the new Mbappé” during his Strasbourg days. One fan forum poll on Forest’s official site saw 78% of 1,200 respondents vote him the worst performer, branding the transfer “Edu Gaspar’s parting gift gone wrong.”

Postecoglou, in his post-match interview with Radio Nottingham, offered measured support: “Dilane’s adapting; Europe’s a different beast. He’ll learn.” Yet, fans weren’t buying it. “Ange, bench him for good. We can’t afford passengers in Europe,” demanded @NFFCExile, reflecting a broader sentiment that the signing—rushed in the final hours of the window—reeks of desperation. With Forest’s possession dipping to 42% in the second half partly due to Bakwa’s hesitancy, questions swirl over his starting role against Sunderland this weekend.

This draw, though salvaged by Jesus’s heroics, underscores Postecoglou’s teething troubles in his fourth game without a win. For Bakwa, the pressure mounts: redeem himself or risk becoming the scapegoat in Forest’s European revival. As one Seville-disillusioned supporter posted, “Came for glory, left with buyer’s remorse. Sort it out, Dilane.” The Reds faithful, ever passionate, demand more than potential—they crave results.