Nottingham Forest play Udinese and Barcelona in a three-team tournament

Nottingham Forest travel to the Bluenergy Stadium for a three-team pre-season event. Forest first meet Udinese and then play Barcelona during the same evening.

Each match in the three-team tournament lasts forty-five minutes. Udinese and Barcelona complete the programme in the third and final contest.

The tournament contains three short football matches

Forest begin against hosts Udinese at 20:00 local time. Their meeting with Barcelona follows one hour later, before the two other clubs play at 22:00. A win inside 45 minutes earns three points. A drawn match goes directly to a penalty shoot-out because the event needs a clear table.

The shoot-out winner receives two points, while the losing side takes one. This system gives every contest a defined value without extending the playing period. The team with the best total wins the first Friuli Venezia Giulia tournament. Goal difference and the organisers’ competition rules separate teams if points finish level.

Forest meet opponents from two leading leagues

Udinese finished tenth in Serie A last season. Kosta Runjaic’s side also carries long experience from Italy’s top division and plays the event at its home stadium. Barcelona arrive as the reigning Spanish champions. They also won the Spanish Super Cup and reached the Champions League quarter-finals during the previous campaign.

The contrast gives Forest two different tests within one evening. Udinese know the venue, while Barcelona bring a squad used to controlling possession. Forest have never previously played in Udine. The visit therefore adds a new ground and a new opponent to their pre-season history.

Each game lasts only forty-five minutes

A 45-minute contest removes the usual half-time reset. A slow opening therefore leaves less time for recovery. Substitution plans also look different across two matches. Oliver Glasner can divide minutes between groups or keep selected partnerships together for both opponents.

Penalties may follow immediately after a draw. Goalkeepers and takers therefore prepare for a shoot-out even though the event remains a friendly competition. The format gives Forest ninety possible minutes in total. Those minutes are split between two opponents rather than one full match against the same side.

Forest have more friendlies after the Udine tournament

Forest began their summer programme against Notts County. The club then played Blackburn Rovers and Vitoria during a training period in Portugal. Sporting CP provided another match before the trip to Italy. These fixtures gave players a gradual return after the close season and international commitments.

The Udine event is followed by home matches against Bayer Leverkusen and Brest. Forest therefore continue preparation after the triangular tournament ends. Seven announced fixtures form the complete programme. The opponents come from England, Portugal, Italy, Spain, Germany and France.

Nottingham Forest face two different styles in Udine

Udinese and Barcelona pose different problems, yet both demand concentration. Forest have only a short break before changing from one opponent to the next. The staff can compare how the same players respond across both contests. Fresh combinations also receive minutes without requiring another separate matchday.

Supporters see an unusual competition with a simple table. Every goal and penalty matters because the available playing time is half a normal match. Forest leave Udine with ninety minutes of evidence before two home fixtures. The trip adds variety without replacing the final work planned in England.

Every game contributes to the final standings

A team collecting two wins reaches six points and controls the tournament. The shoot-out rule also prevents drawn matches from producing identical returns for both sides. The format changes the meaning of a late equaliser. The contest continues to penalties because they immediately decide the extra point.

Goalkeepers may face a shoot-out after only 45 minutes of open play. Takers also have less time to settle than during a normal knockout tie. The structure remains simple for spectators inside the stadium. Three short games produce one final table and a winner before the evening ends.

The hosts scheduled three matches in one evening

Bluenergy Stadium stages all three contests without moving teams between venues. Dressing rooms and warm-up spaces remain active as one match follows another. The club waiting for its turn can watch the current opponent from inside the ground. That creates a short preparation window based on events happening immediately before kickoff.

Udinese play first and last, while Forest and Barcelona appear in consecutive matches. The different order changes the length of each team’s break. Organisers complete the event within roughly three hours. The format supplies varied opposition while keeping one ticket, one venue and one final table.