Wed Sep 24 20:50:00 UTC 2025: ## Igor Jesus Shines as Nottingham Forest Held to Draw in Europa League Return
**Seville, Spain** – Nottingham Forest’s return to European competition after a 29-year absence ended in a 2-2 draw against Real Betis, but the spotlight shone brightly on new signing Igor Jesus. The Brazilian striker, a £10m acquisition from Botafogo in July, marked his first European appearance with a brace, justifying head coach Ange Postecoglou’s decision to start him over seasoned forward Chris Wood.
Trailing 1-0, Igor Jesus sparked the Forest comeback, first with a close-range finish before heading in a second from a corner just five minutes later. His energetic and impactful performance saw him take six of Forest’s 16 shots, with three on target. He earned a standing ovation from the 5,000 travelling fans when substituted in the 64th minute.
“He definitely looks like a real threat,” said former Forest player Michail Antonio. “His movement, his hold-up play… he seems big, he seems strong.”
Igor Jesus, who has previously scored on his debut for Brazil and netted against Paris St-Germain in the Club World Cup, has quickly impressed since arriving at the club, already bagging four goals in two starts, including two in the Carabao Cup against Swansea.
Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson praised the striker’s positional awareness, highlighting his potential to be a key figure this season.
However, former Manchester United forward Antony’s late equalizer denied Forest a winning return to Europe, leaving Postecoglou still searching for his first win since taking charge.
The performance raises questions about the future role of Chris Wood, who was left on the bench. Despite scoring 20 Premier League goals last season, contributing significantly to Forest’s European qualification, he will now face stiff competition from the in-form Igor Jesus.
“Chris definitely has to watch his back,” Antonio stated.
Postecoglou expressed disappointment at not securing the win but praised his team’s overall performance, stating, “I thought our football was outstanding at times.”
Forest will look to build on this performance as they face Sunderland on Saturday, with Postecoglou seeking his first victory at the City Ground. Whether Igor Jesus will retain his starting position remains to be seen.
First Piper 