- Pereira confirmed Gibbs-White’s availability will be decided on the day of the match
- The Forest manager insisted his side will “forget the first-leg result” and approach Thursday fresh
- Nikola Milenković backed his teammates to handle Villa Park’s atmosphere with confidence
- Pereira revealed Forest have been practising penalties: “we need to be ready for anything”
Vitor Pereira has demanded Nottingham Forest play without fear at Villa Park, insisting “we start at 0-0 and will fight for the best result.”
Vitor Pereira has told Nottingham Forest to play without fear at Villa Park, with the Forest boss insisting his side must treat Thursday’s second leg as a fresh contest despite taking a 1-0 advantage into the game.
Forest head into the return leg knowing the atmosphere will be intense, but Pereira’s message was clear. His team, he said, must approach the night with the mentality that “we start at 0-0 and will fight for the best result”.
That approach could be crucial. Villa Park is one of the toughest grounds in the country when the crowd senses momentum, and Forest will know that trying simply to survive the night could invite exactly the kind of pressure they want to avoid.
Pereira’s words suggest he wants bravery on and off the ball. Forest are unlikely to get through the evening by retreating too deep or by playing within themselves. If they are to come through, they will need the composure to handle long spells without the ball and the confidence to make their moments count when they arrive.
Nikola Milenkovic appeared to echo that thinking, backing his team-mates to handle the Villa Park atmosphere with confidence. That matters, because knockout ties are often decided as much by mentality as tactics once the pressure rises.
“We start at 0-0” Pereira’s defiant message
Vitor Pereira arrived at his pre-match press conference with the energy and conviction of a manager who genuinely believes his side can reach the Europa League final.
His opening message was direct and deliberately framed to remove any psychological weight from the 1-0 first-leg advantage Forest carry into Thursday’s game.
“I forget about the first-leg result,” Pereira stated. “We start at 0-0 and we will fight for the best result.”
That deliberate mental reset, asking his players to ignore the cushion they possess, reflects a coaching philosophy built entirely on process and competitive mentality rather than scoreline management. It is a bold and interesting approach. It is also entirely consistent with everything Pereira has demanded from this Forest group since his arrival in February.
His description of what he wants from his players on Thursday was equally compelling. “I want to see my team playing without fear, trying to score and win the game. This is a day to enjoy and to compete. We need to prove ourselves again.
It’s a moment to show our mentality, that we are resilient and that we can compete from the first minute until the last minute in a fantastic atmosphere.” Those words carry genuine weight from a manager who has overseen a ten-game unbeaten run and transformed a relegation battle into a European semi-final.”
One of Pereira’s most revealing lines was his admission that Forest have been practising penalties because “we need to be ready for anything”.
That is a sensible message rather than a dramatic one. In a tie this fine, preparation can make the difference, and Pereira clearly wants his squad ready for every possible scenario rather than caught cold if the contest stretches all the way.
It also reflects a manager trying to balance calm with realism. Forest are not going to Villa Park hoping the game falls kindly for them. They are preparing for the hardest version of the night.
Why it matters for Forest – Morgan Gibbs White latest?
The question every reporter in the room wanted answered concerned Morgan Gibbs-White. The Forest captain suffered a deep head cut at Chelsea on Monday, requiring numerous stitches and raising serious doubts about his availability. Pereira was measured and honest in his response.
“We’ll see tomorrow if he is able to play or not,” the 57-year-old stated. “I honestly hope he can play and help us. But if it’s not possible, we’ll play with someone else and they’ll try to be the best on the pitch too.”
That composure, publicly refusing to catastrophise the potential absence of his most important player, reflects the unflappable character Pereira has displayed throughout his Forest tenure. His team have 11 players regardless. That remains the baseline.
Much may depend on Gibbs-White’s fitness and on how well Forest absorb the early energy from the home side. If they can stay composed and carry out Pereira’s plan, they will give themselves a real chance of finishing the job.
Milenković: “This atmosphere cannot disturb us”
Forest defender Nikola Milenković provided the most revealing insight into Forest’s collective confidence heading into Thursday’s occasion. The Serbian centre-back was calm, measured, and entirely unintimidated by the prospect of Villa Park in full European-night mode.
“Aston Villa have really good players and we must be ready for them, but we believe in ourselves and have confidence,” Milenković stated. “We know it will be a difficult atmosphere, but we’ve played a lot of games with really good supporters, this isn’t part of the game that can disturb us.”
The defender also reflected on the broader significance of Forest’s European journey for the club’s fanbase. “After many years the club has come back to Europe. The fans have given us really big support, this bond between squad, coach and fans is really important for us.”
ReadAstonVilla Verdict
Villa Park is exactly the kind of stage where Aston Villa will believe they can turn this tie around. Pereira can talk about starting at 0-0, but Unai Emery’s side know they have the quality, experience and home support to make that first-leg deficit disappear. Forest may arrive determined and organised, yet if Villa find their rhythm early and let the crowd take over, the pressure could quickly swing onto the visitors
