Nottingham Forest set up Europa League clash with Aston Villa after narrow quarter-final win
Here’s how both sides got here…
Nottingham Forest reached their first European semi-final since 1984 as they set up an all-English Europa League last-four meeting with Aston Villa.
Not since the glory days of Brian Clough have Forest performed as well on the continent, where they won back-to-back European Cups and got to the last four of the Uefa Cup in a five-year period.
Why romance of Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest’s European tie is an antidote to modern football
On consecutive Thursdays, as East Midlands meets West, their past will be all around them. Nottingham Forest’s City Ground is a monument to the architects of arguably the greatest story of them all in European football.
There is the Brian Clough Stand and the Peter Taylor Stand, celebrating the double act who won two European Cups with a provincial club they inherited in the lower half of the second division.
Villa Park, meanwhile, is adorned with Brian Moore’s commentary of Peter Withe’s winner in the 1982 European Cup final.
More from Senior Football Correspondent Richard Jolly on the romance surrounding this tie:
Predicted line-ups
Nottingham Forest XI: Ortega; Aina, Milenkovic, Morato, Williams; Hutchinson, Sangare, Anderson, Gibbs-White; Wood, Jesus
Aston Villa XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen; Bogarde, Tielemans; McGinn, Rogers, Buendia; Watkins
Team news
Nottingham Forest are likely to be without Jair Cunha, who sustained a shoulder injury in the win over Sunderland, while Callum Hudson-Odoi, Murillo and Willy Boly remain sidelined.
Amadou Onana will be assessed for the visitors after he missed their last outing, a 1-0 defeat to Fulham, with a knee problem. Boubacar Kamara and Alysson will be absent.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the UK can watch the game on TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max.
When is Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa?
Nottingham Forest host Aston Villa at the City Ground on Thursday 30 April, with kick-off at 8pm BST.
Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa
The first leg hosts are high on confidence after swatting aside Sunderland in a 5-0 rout in their last outing in the Premier League, sending them five points clear of the relegation zone in a fine end-of-season push.
Vitor Pereira’s men saw off Porto 2-1 on aggregate to set up this all-Midlands clash, while Unai Emery’s side are the hot favourites to win the competition after easing past Bologna with a 7-1 aggregate victory in the quarter-finals.
Either Braga or Freiburg awaits in the final on 20 May.
Good afternoon
Hello and welcome to The Independent’s liveblog of tonight’s Europa League semi-final first leg.
It’s a Midlands derby in Europe’s second tier: Nottingham Forest host Aston Villa at the City Ground.
Follow build-up, latest updates and team news right here.
