Forest continue pre-season preparations against Monaco

Nottingham Forest’s stars earned valuable pre-season minutes against Ligue 1 side AS Monaco at Chesterfield’s SMH Group Stadium this afternoon. The match finished goalless in a rain-soaked Derbyshire, where some Reds played their first minutes of the summer schedule so far. Nuno Espírito Santo’s side jet off to southern Portugal on Monday for a warm weather training camp, with two fixtures pencilled in during the trip against Fulham and Estoril Praia. Forest started on the front foot against the Ligue 1 outfit when Morgan Gibbs-White reacted quickest to Callum Hudson-Odoi’s corner to get his head to the ball. Philipp Köhn was quick to keep out the Forest no. 10’s effort. At the other end of the field moments later Maghnes Akliouche’s cross clipped the top of Matz Sels’ crossbar before the Reds cleared the ball from immediate danger. Monaco began imposing themselves on Forest when first Aleksandr Golovin, effort was deflected just wide for a corner before Saïmon Bouabré strike at goal was well-saved by Sels. Forest had a host of players playing their first pre-season minutes of the summer schedule so far as the Reds continued to build their match fitness at the SMH Stadium. Breel Embolo called Sels into action on the stroke of half time with the Belgian stopper getting down well to keep out the Monaco forward’s headed effort. Early in the second half and half time substitute Carlos Miguel did well to deny Monaco in a one-v-one situation, keeping the scores goalless. Miguel was quick off his line to deny Mika Biereth just after the hour mark, before reacting quickest to scoop the ball into his arms. Dale Taylor went close at the other end when the forward volleyed the ball just wide from Jimmy Sinaclair’s cross, in what proved to be the last action of the 90. Forest head to Portugal on Monday as the pre-season preparations continue.