Aston Villa meet Nottingham Forest in the second leg of their 2025-26 UEFA Europa League Semi-Final.
Trailing 1-0 on aggregate after the first leg, Villa must win by two or more goals if they’re to reach a first major European final since they won 1981-82 European Cup.
Forest will progress if they avoid defeat and reach a first major European final since they won the 1979-80 European Cup.
The tie however would go to extra time and potentially penalties if Villa win by an one-goal margin in normal time.
Team News
John McGinn is set to return for Aston Villa after he sat out their 2-0 Premier League loss to Tottenham on Sunday evening, due to a hamstring injury.
Alysson (muscle), Amadou Onana and Boubacar Kamara (both knee) remain absent.
Forest could be without Zach Abbott and Morgan Gibbs-White after the pair suffered concussions during their 3-1 Premier League victory at Chelsea on Monday afternoon.
Ola Aina, Dan Ndoye (both knock) and Murillo (muscle) could return but Ibrahim Sangare (knock), Callum Hudson-Odoi (quad), Willy Boly, Nicolo Savona and John Victor (all knee) remain absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Villa host Forest at Villa Park on Thursday 7 May at 8pm BST, live on TNT Sports 1 in the UK
Stat Attack
- Villa lost 1-0 in their only previous Europa League meeting against Forest, which came away in the first leg of this semi-final tie.
- Forest are making their first trip to Villa in any UEFA competition, but are winless in their last ten trips across all competitions (D3, L7).
- Villa have scored six goals at home in the knockout stages of this season’s competition without conceding (W2), having beaten Lille 2-0 then Bologna 4-0 in Round of 16 and Quarter-Finals respectively.
- Forest have won their last two Europa League matches by 1-0 results (W2), albeit at home.
Prediction
Trailing 1-0 on aggregate and having lost their last three games in all competitions, Villa absolutely need to find their clinical gears quickly because they can’t afford to concede first if want to turn this tie around, especially after a wasteful display against a more lively Tottenham.
Forest meanwhile seem to have found late-season momentum because they were just energetic and lively in their attacking press from the get-go at Chelsea with three clinical goals, and I expect the same on current form if they bring their intensity and solid defending into this game.
Villa Park though hasn’t exactly been the strongest hunting ground for Forest and I just think that Villa will find something to force extra time, and if that indeed happens then I can see this going to penalties with Forest having the edge given their penalty record since last season.
Prediction: Aston Villa 2-1 Nottingham Forest (Forest to win on penalties)
Result: Aston Villa 4-0 Nottingham Forest (Villa win 4-1 on aggregate)
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