Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa Preview & Prediction | 2025-26 UEFA Europa League | Semi-Final

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We have an all-English semi-final in the UEFA Europa League this season as Aston Villa face Nottingham Forest at the City Ground this week.

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Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa prediction

Nottingham Forest can pour their energy and focus into this tie with survival in the Premier League now all but secure after they demolished Sunderland by five goals to nil at the Stadium of Light with an emphatic and impressive performance on Wearside. Vitor Pereira struggled at the start of his reign but is now finding form at the crunch end of the campaign.

Unai Emery was often exasperated and angered by Aston Villa's poor performance in the Premier League at the weekend as the Villans succumbed to a slender 1-0 loss to an out of form Fulham side at Craven Cottage due to a Ryan Sessegnon winner scored mid-way through the second-half. Unai Emery is a four-time UEL winner, though, so he is a good man to have at the helm when a reaction is required.

Aston Villa will want to ensure the tie is, at worst, level pegging as they arrive back in Birmingham, while Forest have become tough to beat with an eight-match unbeaten run of form across all competitions, and so a lower scoring encounter seems a good shout for what may be a cagey first-leg. 

Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa tip: Under 2.5 goals