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Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White has placed Fenerbahce's squad on par with Premier League standards ahead of their UEFA Europa League round of 16 playoff first leg in Istanbul, warning that his side faces a formidable test against the Turkish league's only unbeaten team.
"Fenerbahce is a team at Premier League level with very good players," the 26-year-old said at a pre-match press conference alongside newly appointed manager Vitor Pereira. He added that coaching staff had provided detailed scouting reports on their opponents and that the squad knows exactly what to expect.
Despite the scale of the challenge, Gibbs-White made clear that Forest intend to go on the front foot rather than sit back. He acknowledged the intensity of playing in Istanbul but stressed that the priority would be blocking out the noise. "In an atmosphere like this, you need to perform, focus on the game, focus on the team," he said. "We'll try not to get too caught up in this atmosphere and focus on our game."
He described Fenerbahce as a tough, well-organized side, but insisted Forest are approaching the tie with confidence and a desire to win.
Gibbs-White said the squad has responded positively to Pereira's arrival, with the Portuguese coach wasting no time in laying out his expectations. "Our manager has been with us for a few days. He has made what he wants very clear," he said, adding that the entire dressing room is excited about the change. "Players are used to change. Sometimes players leave, sometimes managers leave. What matters is that we're together."
He credited Pereira with injecting fresh momentum into the group, saying the new boss "has brought us an exciting feeling, positive energy," while acknowledging that full adaptation would take time. "We can't expect him to adapt immediately. He has very clear demands. We'll do our best to deliver."
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Gibbs-White signaled that Forest view the Europa League as more than a sideshow, expressing personal ambition to contribute with goals and a collective desire to go deep in the competition. "We want to win every match, it's that simple for us," he said.
He pointed to a renewed sense of unity and quality within the squad compared to last season. "There's a positive energy in the team right now. There's a high quality of players," he said, adding that Forest are eager to translate that into European progress.
The Europa League's round of 16 playoff stage, introduced under the competition's revamped Swiss-model format for the 2024-25 season, pits teams finishing between 9th and 24th in the league phase against each other for a place in the last 16 proper.
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