Glasner warns Forest will not be at peak fitness for Leeds opener

Nottingham Forest manager Oliver Glasner has cautioned that his squad will not be in peak condition for their Premier League opening fixture against Leeds United next week. Speaking following a 2-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday, the Austrian coach suggested that reaching full fitness in such a short timeframe would require near-miraculous circumstances.

Glasner noted that the team faces a demanding schedule immediately following the start of the season. Forest are set to play Leeds United on Saturday, followed by a Carabao Cup match at the City Ground on Tuesday. This sequence includes two Premier League fixtures within three days before the team travels to Anfield.

The manager explained that while the recent preparation period has been highly intense to build fitness, there is still significant work required. He stated that the club would need to be "wizards" to achieve optimal condition within five or six weeks, especially considering some players may only join training in a week or two.

Since his appointment in early July after leaving Crystal Palace, Glasner has been tasked with stabilising a club that employed four different managers during a difficult previous campaign. The new manager described the current situation as starting from zero, involving the process of building new relationships and managing transfers.

Despite the challenges of the upcoming schedule, Glasner expressed satisfaction with the progress made since his arrival. He emphasized that the primary goal is to provide the club with a firm footing and that the entire group is working together to move forward from their previous instability.