Nottingham Forest took the initiative from the first kick of the game.
Inter Milan lost the toss and so Forest kicked off. Inter started the match in a defensive mindset, aiming to keep their defense solid and counter-attack when they got the chance. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest did not hold back and made the most of their kickoff advantage, keeping the ball firmly under their feet. They were in no rush to approach the goal and instead circled patiently.
George Wood and Tiago were indeed further back in their positions than ever before. It looked like the distance between them and Şahin was wider than ever, but in fact, the players were not wooden blocks. They would keep running and linking up on the pitch. The formation of the team was merely a reference—if they were too far away, Şahin would know he could withdraw to receive. As for Wood and Tiago, they would also know to move up the pitch when required.
