Nottingham Forest are on the brink of history. Thursday night at the City Ground, they face Aston Villa in the first leg of the Europa League semifinal—a chance to reach their first major European final since 1980. The stakes couldn't be higher for a club that's been steadily rewriting its story this season.
Under Vitor Pereira, Forest have found a new rhythm. An eight-match unbeaten run has breathed life into the squad, capped by a commanding 5-0 win over Sunderland last time out. The energy around the team is palpable, and they'll lean on that momentum against a Villa side that knows them well. Forest haven't lost at home to Villa in their last four Premier League meetings (two wins, two draws), including a 1-1 draw earlier this month.
Numbers tell a compelling story too. Forest lead the Europa League in expected goals this season with a staggering 27.8 xG, showing just how dangerous they can be in attack. Defensively, they've tightened up since the group stages, but they'll face the competition's highest scorers in Villa—a matchup that promises fireworks.
There's a notable absence in the backline. Vitor Pereira confirmed that Murillo will miss the first leg due to injury after limping off against Burnley. Jair Cunha returned to training on Wednesday and could feature, but Morato is expected to partner Nikola Milenkovic in central defence. Callum Hudson-Odoi and Willy Boly also remain sidelined.
Stefan Ortega is set to start in goal, having been the preferred choice for European fixtures since arriving in January. In midfield, Ibrahim Sangare and Elliot Anderson will anchor the engine room, while Morgan Gibbs-White—on fire with five goals in three games—looks likely to continue on the left. Up front, Igor Jesus and Chris Wood should lead the line together, giving Forest a physical and clinical edge.
Nottingham Forest Predicted XI: Ortega, Aina, Milenkovic, Morato, Williams, Hutchinson, Sangare, Anderson, Gibbs-White, Wood, Jesus
Kick-off is at 20:00 BST at the City Ground. UK viewers can catch the action live on TNT Sports 1, with streaming available via HBO Max for subscribers. Coverage begins ahead of the match, so don't miss a moment of what could be a historic night for Forest.