adminNottingham Forest Fans Hail Midfield Maestros After Thrilling Draw in Seville
In a pulsating Europa League opener that marked Nottingham Forest’s long-awaited return to continental football after nearly three decades, the Reds fought out an entertaining 2-2 draw against Real Betis in Seville on September 24, 2025. While the match will be remembered for Igor Jesus’s clinical first-half brace—turning a deficit into a lead—supporters were quick to spotlight the unsung heroes in midfield whose tireless efforts kept Forest competitive until Antony’s heartbreaking 85th-minute equalizer. Away from the spotlight on the Brazilian forward, fans flooded social media with praise for Morgan Gibbs-White and Douglas Luiz, crediting their vision and grit for orchestrating a performance that promised much for Ange Postecoglou’s ambitious project.
The game kicked off with Betis drawing first blood through Cedric Bakambu in the 15th minute, exposing early defensive frailties. Yet, it was Gibbs-White who ignited the comeback just three minutes later, latching onto a precise through-ball to slot home Forest’s opener with composure under pressure. Fans were effusive: “Gibbs-White is pure class— that goal was all about his movement and hunger,” tweeted one supporter, @NFFCTrentside, capturing the sentiment echoing across X. The 25-year-old England international, deployed in a more advanced role, completed 85% of his passes and created three chances, his interplay with wingers slicing through Betis’s midfield like a hot knife. “Morgs bossed the tempo tonight. Without him, we’d have been overrun,” added another fan, highlighting how his pressing forced turnovers that fueled Forest’s 13 first-half shots.
Not to be outdone, Douglas Luiz etched his name into the narrative with a pinpoint corner delivery in the 23rd minute, perfectly weighted for Jesus’s towering header that flipped the scoreline. The Brazilian’s set-piece wizardry drew rapturous acclaim, with @GaribaldiRedDevil posting, “Douglas Luiz’s deliveries are world-class. That corner was Luiz magic—kept us alive in Seville!” Luiz, a summer signing from Aston Villa, topped the match with four key passes and won 7 of 10 duels, his composure shielding a backline that wobbled post-interval. Post-match stats showed Forest dominating possession at 58%, a testament to his distribution. “He’s the engine room we needed. Silent assassin,” gushed a forum thread on Forest’s official site, where over 500 users voted him player of the match.
The second half saw Betis rally, with Pablo Fornals and Antony threatening, but Gibbs-White and Luiz’s resilience prevented collapse. As Postecoglou noted in his presser, “The midfield duo gave us control— that’s the foundation for Europe.” Fans agreed, turning #GibbsWhiteGOTY and #LuizLegend into trending tags, with memes of their celebrations going viral among the 3,000-strong traveling contingent.
This draw, though bittersweet, signals Forest’s intent under Postecoglou. With Gibbs-White and Luiz pulling strings, the Reds look primed for a deep run. As one Seville-based supporter quipped, “We came, we saw, we nearly conquered—thanks to our midfield generals.” Back on home soil against Sunderland next, expect more fan anthems for these pivotal performers.
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