Forest Hosts Villa in All-English Europa League Semifinal and Freiburg Is at Braga
The winner will reach a first continental final in decades and could secure Champions League qualification.
- Nottingham Forest hosts Aston Villa at the City Ground on Thursday for the first leg of an all-English Europa League semi-final, with both clubs seeking to revive former European glory.
- Separated by just 50 miles in the English Midlands, both clubs are former European Cup winners: Nottingham Forest triumphed in 1979 and 1980, while Aston Villa secured the title two years later.
- Aston Villa manager Unai Emery leads his team as favorites to end a 30-year trophy wait, while relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest remains unbeaten in eight games under manager Vitor Pereira.
- Nottingham Forest captain Morgan Gibbs-White has driven his team's continental push with elite 2026 form, earning praise from teammate Ola Aina as a "fantastic player".
- The winner faces either Freiburg or Braga in the May 20 final in Istanbul, with the Europa League trophy offering both English sides a pathway to Champions League qualification.
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Europa League: Aina hails in-form Gibbs-White as Forest gear up for Villa test
The Nigerian defender describes Morgan Gibbs-White as the “real deal” ahead of Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa Europa League Semi-Final The post Europa League: Aina hails in-form Gibbs-White as Forest gear up for Villa test appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
Villa, Forest revive European glory days
Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest, two clubs rich in European history, are one step from a first continental final in decades as they meet in the last four of the Europa League. English clubs dominated the European Cup, now known as the Champions League, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with two triumphs for Forest and one for Villa. But the clubs -- just 50 miles (80 kilometres) apart in the English Midlands -- have had contrasting seasons as…
A heated all-English clash: Nottingham Forest is ready to host Aston Villa, who have been dominant throughout the knockout stages. | Braga and Freiburg are both sharp and have the potential to cause a major upset. | Broadcast simultaneously in the early hours: The two Europa League semi-finals will be played on Friday, May 1, 2026, at 2:00 a.m. WIB.
This week the semi-finals of the Europa 2025-2026 League are played. Here is the match schedule and the return programme: Allers: Thursday 30 April: Nottingham Forest/Aston Villa – 21h. Sporting Braga/Fribourg – 21h. Returns: Thursday 7 May: Aston Villa/Nottingham Forest – 21h. Fribourg/Sporting Braga – 21h.
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