Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest Europa League preview, team news and prediction

View Image

Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest meet again on Thursday night at Villa Park for the second leg of their all-English Europa League semi-final. Forest bring a narrow advantage from last week’s first leg, but Villa can point to a formidable European record on home soil. The prize is clear: the aggregate winner will book a place in the final in Istanbul later this month, where Braga or Freiburg await.

The bookies have this one poised with Villa running out as the victors at 8/13 with BetGoodwin while Ladbrokes have Forest at 10-/3 and Sky Bet at 13/5 for a draw - enough for the visitors to book their place in the final. You can also find more betting offers at the Mirror Betting Hubs Free Bets offers .

Having reached the Conference League semi-finals in 2024 and the Champions League quarter-finals last season, Villa now want to go one step further by returning to a continental final for the first time in a generation. It is more than four decades since they beat Bayern Munich to win the 1982 European Cup, and that wait will continue if they cannot overturn a 1-0 deficit on Thursday.

Forest struck first in the all-Midlands tie, with Chris Wood converting a second-half penalty after Lucas Digne was judged to have handled in the area. With one eye on Europe, Unai Emery then rotated heavily at the weekend, only for a much-changed Villa side to be beaten 2-1 at home by relegation-threatened Tottenham. They offered little threat before the break and slipped to a fifth defeat in eight Premier League matches.

New customers can enjoy £15 in free bets with BetGoodwin when they sign-up using promo code WELCOME15 and bet £10 on any sports market at the minimum odds. Here is your step-by-step guide on how to get that during the business-end of the football season:

Villa have now lost three consecutive games for the first time since 2024, yet they remain in fifth and still have Champions League qualification in reach. Attention, though, turns back to Europe, where Emery’s side have impressed throughout the campaign—finishing second in the league phase before seeing off Lille and Bologna to reach the last four.

Villa Park has been a major factor. The Birmingham club have won their last nine European matches at home and have scored in 31 of their last 32 there. Emery, too, has an outstanding Europa League pedigree: a four-time winner who has not lost a two-legged tie in the competition for 14 years, progressing from 22 straight since then. Add in a 10-match unbeaten home run against Forest dating back to 1994, and history suggests a comeback is possible.

Forest, however, arrive in very different form to the side that lost 3-1 at Villa Park in January. Since Vitor Pereira took charge in February, they have surged into an unexpected revival. A 10-game unbeaten run—featuring seven wins—has eased relegation concerns and taken them to the brink of a European final. On Monday, they moved six points clear of the drop zone by beating Chelsea 3-0, with Taiwo Awoniyi scoring twice either side of an Igor Jesus penalty, despite Pereira also rotating his squad.

18+ | Gamble responsibly | gambleaware.org | Odds subject to change

Aston Villa are expected to recall their key starters on Thursday, especially after Unai Emery’s rotated side failed to impress against Tottenham — with Ollie Watkins foremost among those set to return.

Captain John McGinn missed Sunday’s loss because of a minor muscle issue, but is expected to be available for the second leg. There is still uncertainty over Amadou Onana, who is nursing a calf problem, while Ross Barkley is ineligible and Boubacar Kamara remains out injured. Watkins is Villa’s leading scorer in this season’s Europa League with four goals, while Morgan Rogers has been involved in five goals across six home appearances in the competition.

READ MORE: Free Bets & Bookmaker Sign Up Offers

Meanwhile, Vitor Pereira made eight changes on Monday, handing Luca Netz his first Premier League start and using several squad players, though the late introduction of Morgan Gibbs-White may have come at a price. The England international avoided concussion after a collision with Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez, but did suffer a deep cut.

Forest are already missing Ola Aina, Ibrahim Sangare and Murillo. Dan Ndoye remains a doubt, and Nicolo Savona, Callum Hudson-Odoi, John Victor and Willy Boly are also unavailable.

Reach plc is committed to promoting safer gambling. All of our content and recommended bets are advised to those aged 18 or over. Odds are subject to change too.