Nottingham Forest’s tense 0-0 Premier League draw against Tottenham Hotspur at the City Ground brought plenty of talking points, from dramatic VAR flashpoints to defensive resilience. However, in the aftermath of the stalemate, manager Oliver Glasner addressed a crucial underlying issue concerning one of his most important defensive stalwarts: Brazilian center-back Murillo.
Murillo once again played a pivotal role against Spurs, but for the second time in three Premier League matches this season, he was forced off late in the game. Appearing to signal that he was physically struggling, the defender was substituted for Ousmane Diomande in the 89th minute—mirroring a similar late-game withdrawal on the opening weekend against Leeds United.
Speaking candidly after the match, Glasner shed light on why the defender is still struggling to see out the full 95 minutes, pointing back to a grueling recovery period and a severe hamstring injury that sidelined the player for four months at the end of the previous campaign.
Oliver Glasner’s Frank Assessment of Murillo’s Recovery
The Brazilian defender missed the conclusion of last term due to the hamstring issue and was still working his way back to medical clearance when the squad reported for pre-season under Glasner’s newly minted regime. While Murillo has managed to start all three league fixtures so far, his match fitness is visibly still catching up to the relentless demands of top-flight football.
“Murillo was out for four months. He did not come back from Brazil in, let’s say, the shape he should come back, maybe. But he’s now getting back to his full fitness. That’s why, at the end of games he’s struggling a little bit,” Glasner admitted.
When pressed on whether the situation has been a source of frustration behind the scenes, the Forest boss chose to look forward rather than dwell on past setbacks, acknowledging the mental toll a long-term injury takes on a player.
“I don’t talk about the situation, it’s just what it is. I was announced very late as the manager. I was just informed and there are different reasons for things,” Glasner explained.
“He had a very serious injury and then a setback in May, so a lot of frustration. We all know what frustration can lead to. But he’s now working very hard. Of course we spoke, and it doesn’t make sense complaining or blaming, it’s getting him back to full fitness. I think he was out for four months. Premier League is Premier League, pre-season is completely different, you see the intensity in the duels. If you want to play there for 95 minutes you need a top, top fitness level. I see we are getting better and better, also playing with a little bit more intensity, but it’s still on the way.”
Squad Health Improves as Ibrahim Sangaré Nears Return
While managing Murillo’s gradual return to peak physical conditioning remains a priority for the coaching staff, the rest of Nottingham Forest’s squad is looking increasingly robust.
Midfielder Ibrahim Sangaré was notably absent from the matchday squad against Spurs, having also sat out the dramatic 2-2 draw away at Liverpool. However, Glasner was quick to ease any fears of a fresh injury crisis, confirming that the decision to leave the midfielder out was purely precautionary.
“He was not risked,” Glasner said of Sangaré. “We always have Tuesday and Wednesday as quite intense sessions. Here, he was not training with the team or just partly in the last two days. There were no issues and we said we don’t want to take any risks.”
With Sangaré set to resume full training following individual recovery sessions, the treatment room at the City Ground is clearing out nicely. Barring long-term absentee Nicolò Savona, Forest currently have a fully available squad—giving Glasner the depth and flexibility he needs as the club works to turn resilient defensive performances into maximum points.
