Aston Villa face Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Thursday with history, a European final, and 44 years of waiting on the line.
- Kick-off is at 8pm BST live on TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max from 7pm
- A Villa victory would equal Manchester City’s record of ten consecutive European wins
- Emery has progressed from each of his last five Europa League semi-finals
The records within reach. History beckons
Thursday’s fixture carries an extraordinary statistical backdrop that places Villa on the edge of genuinely historic territory.
Emery’s side have won 11 of their 12 Europa League games this season, claiming nine consecutive victories heading into the City Ground.
Victory on Thursday would equal Manchester City’s record of ten successive wins in a single European competition achieved between May 2023 and March 2024 in the Champions League.
That is the benchmark for an English club in European football.
Furthermore, with potentially three Europa League games remaining, Villa have a realistic opportunity to surpass Atlético Madrid’s all-time record of 13 European victories in a single season set during their historic 2011-12 Europa League triumph.
The numbers place Emery’s side in genuinely elite company.
Emery. The master of this moment
No statistic better captures the significance of Thursday’s fixture than this one.
Emery is appearing in his seventh Europa League semi-final since 2009-10 more than any other manager in the competition’s history. Since losing his first with Valencia in 2011-12, the Spanish manager has progressed from each of his last five semi-final appearances with Sevilla, Arsenal, and Villarreal all benefiting from his unparalleled big-game experience at this specific stage.
For a club that has not reached a major continental final since Tony Barton steered them to European Cup glory against Bayern Munich in 1982, that record provides the most compelling possible reassurance.
Villa are 4/7 favourites to reach the Istanbul final. The manager has been here before, many times. And he knows exactly how to navigate these moments.
Team news: Onana the key question
Amadou Onana missed Saturday’s defeat at Fulham and faces a race against time to be fit for Thursday. Emery confirmed on Monday that Ross Barkley who has not been registered in Villa’s Europa League squad is definitely absent.
Boubacar Kamara and Alysson remain on the long-term injured list. The defensive midfield puzzle Emery must solve remains the most pressing tactical question heading into the first leg.
Forest’s own injury picture is equally significant. Callum Hudson-Odoi, Murillo, John Victor, Nicolo Savona, and Willy Boly are all definitely out.
Jair Cunha is a doubt after leaving the Sunderland rout with an arm injury. Vitor Pereira could be without multiple centre-backs for the biggest game of his Forest tenure.
| Nottingham Forest Absent | Aston Villa Absent |
|---|---|
| Callum Hudson-Odoi | Boubacar Kamara |
| Murillo | Ross Barkley (not registered) |
| John Victor | Alysson |
| Nicolo Savona | Amadou Onana (doubt) |
| Willy Boly | — |
| Jair Cunha (doubt) | — |
Forest’s Danger Men — Villa Must Be Wary
Despite their relegation concerns, Forest arrive on the back of devastating European form. Vitor Pereira’s side have won their last three games by a combined score of 10-1 beating Porto, Burnley, and Sunderland in succession.
Morgan Gibbs-White has scored in each of his last three games and represents Villa’s most significant defensive challenge. Igor Jesus, meanwhile, has 15 goals this season, seven in Europe, making him joint-leading scorer in this year’s competition and a constant aerial and technical threat.
How to watch and the odds
Thursday’s first leg kicks off at 8pm BST at the City Ground. Coverage begins at 7pm on TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max in the United Kingdom. BBC Radio 5 Live and talkSPORT will both provide full match commentary for supporters without television access.
Forest are narrow 6/4 favourites to win Thursday’s first leg. Villa are 9/5 to win on the night, with a draw priced at 11/5. In the outright tournament market, Villa are 11/10 favourites, ahead of Forest at 7/2, Freiburg at 9/2, and Braga at 7/1.
Two european champions. One final place available
Forest won the European Cup in 1979 and 1980. Villa lifted the same trophy in 1982. Neither club has reached a major continental final since.
On Thursday evening, one of them takes a significant step toward ending that wait. For Villa, forty-four years of history are riding on ninety minutes at the City Ground. Emery has been here before.
Now it is Villa’s turn to deliver.
