Aston Villa look to secure a first-leg advantage in their pursuit of European glory as they travel to the City Ground for their Europa League semifinal against Nottingham Forest.
Unai Emery is managing in his seventh Europa League semi-final tonight. He has progressed from each of his last five appearances at this stage. Villa are the competition’s top scorers with twenty-four goals so far. However, they must recover from a 1–0 domestic defeat at Fulham. A victory today would move them closer to a first final in forty-four years.
The Lions have won nine consecutive matches in the Europa League. They rank joint-first for clean sheets in the competition this term. That said, they face a defensive midfield crisis for this trip. Emery must find a creative solution to protect his back four.
Aston Villa team news
Amadou Onana faces a late fitness test before the trip to Nottingham. The Belgian midfielder missed the loss at Fulham with a knee knock. Boubacar Kamara remains a long-term absentee with a serious knee injury. Ross Barkley and Alysson are ineligible as they were omitted from the squad. Lamare Bogarde is the most likely candidate to start in central midfield.
Youri Tielemans will provide experience alongside Bogarde in the middle. John McGinn and Morgan Rogers should support the attack from wide positions. Ollie Watkins is expected to lead the line after scoring four in four games. In his absence, the side would lack their most clinical European threat. Tyrone Mings could return to the starting XI to anchor the defence.
Aston Villa predicted lineup
Aston Villa Predicted XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen, Bogarde, Tielemans, McGinn, Rogers, Buendia, Watkins
When will the match kick off?
Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa kicks off at 20:00 BST at the City Ground.
How to watch Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa?
The first leg kicks off at 20:00 BST on Thursday, 30 April 2026.
UK viewers can watch the match live on TNT Sports 1. Streaming is available via HBO Max for subscribers. Coverage begins one hour before the scheduled start time.
Read more- Fernandes release clause revealed as Man United captain seeks assurances over ambition
See Also- Shakhtar chief reveals ‘big financial impact’ of ban for Chelsea’s Mudryk
Follow the Football Faithful on Social Media:
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | TikTok
