A place in Istanbul is on the line as Aston Villa host Nottingham Forest in a massive Europa League semi-final second leg at Villa Park on Thursday night.
Forest arrive in the Midlands holding a slender 1-0 aggregate lead after Chris Wood’s penalty separated the sides at the City Ground last week, but this tie still feels finely balanced heading into what should be another electric European night under the lights.
Unai Emery’s side have made Villa Park a fortress in Europe, winning their last nine continental home matches, and the four-time Europa League-winning manager now looks to guide Villa into their first major European final since lifting the European Cup back in 1982.
Forest, though, are playing with enormous belief under Vítor Pereira. The Reds are unbeaten in ten matches across all competitions and come into this clash fresh from an impressive win at Chelsea, continuing a remarkable turnaround that now has supporters dreaming of a first European final in over four decades.
Both teams have been defensively excellent throughout this Europa League campaign, with Villa and Forest jointly leading the competition for clean sheets, so another tense and tactical battle could be on the cards.
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What are the best picks for Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest?
Aston Villa to Win
Villa Park has become one of the toughest away days in Europe this season, and Aston Villa will fancy their chances of turning this tie around in front of a packed home crowd.
Unai Emery’s side have won nine straight European home matches, and their aggressive attacking approach usually creates plenty of chances on their own patch.
Forest showed great discipline in the first leg, but asking them to survive another 90 minutes away from home against a Villa side that has to chase the game feels like a huge task. Expect Villa to come out fast and eventually find the breakthrough they need.
Both Teams to Score
While Villa are favourites to win the match, Nottingham Forest have more than enough attacking quality to get on the scoresheet themselves.
Chris Wood has been in excellent form throughout the campaign, while Morgan Gibbs-White offers plenty of creativity and is enjoying a great run of form, but he is a doubt for this one after his head injury vs Chelsea, although Forest are hopeful he will play.
Villa have also shown some defensive vulnerability in recent weeks, especially when pushing numbers forward, so this game sets up perfectly for chances at both ends.
With a Europa League final spot on the line, an open and dramatic contest would not be a surprise.
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Ollie Watkins Anytime Goalscorer
Big players tend to deliver in big moments, and Ollie Watkins looks like Villa’s best bet to make the difference in this one.
The England striker thrives at Villa Park, and his movement in and around the penalty area could cause Forest plenty of problems.
Watkins has consistently stepped up in important matches this season and, with Villa expected to dominate possession and create opportunities, he should see enough chances to get himself on the scoresheet.
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Where can I watch Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest?
In the USA, tonight’s Europa League semi-final second leg is expected to be streamed live on Paramount+. CBS Sports Network. Kickoff is at 15:00 EST.
In the UK, the match is being shown live on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate. You can also stream the match live through HBO Max/TNT Sports online. Kickoff is at 20:00 GMT.
What is Aston Villa’s current form?
W-W-L-L-L
What is Nottingham Forest’s current form?
W-W-W-W-W
What is Aston Villa’s predicted team?
Martinez – Maatsen, Torres, Konsa, Cash – Tielemans, Bogarde, McGinn, Rogers, Buendia – Watkins.
Injured: Onana, Kamara, Edward
What is Nottingham Forest’s predicted team?
Ortega – Williams, Murillo, Milenkovic, Abbot – Bakwa, Dominguez, Anderson, Hutchinson – Wood – Jesus.
Doubts: Gibbs-White, Aina, Ndoye.
Injured: Ndoye, Victor, Savona, Boly, Sangare, Hudson-Odoi.
What were the results of the last five head-to-head matches between Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest?
30/04/2026 – Nottingham Forest 1-0 Aston Villa (Europa League semi-final first leg)
12/04/2026 – Nottingham Forest 1-1 Aston Villa (EPL)
03/01/2026 – Aston Villa 3-1 Nottingham Forest (EPL)
05/04/2025 – Aston Villa 2-1 Nottingham Forest (EPL)
14/12/2024 – Nottingham Forest 2-1 Aston Villa (EPL)
