EUROPA LEAGUE | SEMI-FINAL
April 22, 2026 — SoloScore
When the Europa League draw was made, the possibility of an all-English semi-final felt like a nice idea — something to dream about but not bank on. Now it's confirmed. Nottingham Forest will play Aston Villa in the last four of the Europa League, with the first leg at the City Ground on April 30 and the second leg at Villa Park on May 7. English football is guaranteed a finalist. The question is which city celebrates.
Morgan Gibbs-White scored the decisive goal in Forest's 1-0 win over Porto — 2-1 on aggregate — to book their place in this extraordinary tie. Villa, who had already secured their spot in the semi-finals, will now face their Premier League counterparts in what promises to be one of the most watched European club games of the season.
How Forest Got Here
Nottingham Forest's run to the Europa League semi-final has been one of the stories of European football this season. Vitor Pereira's side — a team many expected to be fighting relegation in the Premier League, not competing in European semi-finals — have defied expectations at every turn. Beating Porto over two legs is no small achievement. The Portuguese giants have decades of European pedigree and the quality to hurt any team on the continent.
Gibbs-White's winner was typical of what this Forest side have produced in Europe — organised, disciplined, and clinically effective when the chance arrives. They don't score many in European matches, but they don't concede many either. That balance, under Pereira's management, has been the foundation of this remarkable run.
Aston Villa's Path
Aston Villa's Europa League journey has been similarly impressive, even if they carry the slightly higher expectations that come with their squad depth and resources compared to Forest. Unai Emery's side know how to navigate knockout European football — the Spanish manager has won the Europa League four times and brings a level of tournament experience that very few coaches on the planet can match.
Villa have been the more polished side in Europe for much of this campaign, but they'll know better than to underestimate Forest. The City Ground is a cauldron for European nights, and Pereira's team is well-organised and dangerous on the counter. Villa will need to be at their best across both legs.
Why This Semi-Final Is Special
Beyond the obvious drama of two Premier League clubs meeting in a European semi-final, there's something genuinely romantic about Nottingham Forest being here. This is a club that won back-to-back European Cups in 1979 and 1980 under Brian Clough — an achievement that still astonishes historians of the game. They then spent decades outside European competition before returning to the top flight and, now, reaching this stage again.
For the Forest faithful, this is more than a football match. It's a reminder that their club's name belongs in these kinds of occasions. A return to a European final — even 46 years after their last — would be one of sport's great comeback stories.
Villa, meanwhile, have their own ambitions. A Europa League trophy would be a significant marker in their modern project, cementing their credentials as a top European club and potentially opening Champions League doors. Emery has done it before. He knows what it takes.
The Final Is in Sight
The winners of this semi-final will face Freiburg or Braga in the Europa League final on May 20. Compared to what Forest and Villa have navigated to get here, either of those opponents represents a highly winnable final. For an English club, the path to lifting the trophy has never looked more clear.
Two Premier League clubs. One semi-final. One spot in the final. This is exactly the kind of occasion that makes European football worth staying up for — and April 30 at the City Ground cannot come soon enough.
Europa League Semi-Final: Key Dates
- First Leg: April 30 — Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa (City Ground)
- Second Leg: May 7 — Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest (Villa Park)
- Final: May 20 — Winner vs Freiburg or Braga
- Forest through: 2-1 agg vs Porto (Gibbs-White winner)
- Manager: Vitor Pereira (Forest) vs Unai Emery (Villa)
Sources: Sky Sports
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