Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest Lineups: Europa League Semi-Final

There’s a special tension that settles over a European semi-final second leg, and Thursday night brings exactly that to Villa Park. Aston Villa hold a slender 1-0 aggregate lead over Nottingham Forest, a result that leaves everything balanced on a knife’s edge.

Match Date: 7 May 2026 ·
Venue: Villa Park, Birmingham ·
Competition: Europa League Semi-Final (2nd Leg) ·
Kickoff: 20:00 BST (21:00 CET) ·
Aggregate Score: Aston Villa leads 1-0

Six details capture the central state of play for this finely balanced semi-final:

What is the Aston Villa lineup?

Unai Emery’s side is largely settled, with the club’s official team news confirming a strong starting eleven for this decisive fixture.

Confirmed starting XI (4-2-3-1)

• Goalkeeper: Emiliano Martínez
• Defense: Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, Lucas Digne
• Midfield: Lamare Bogarde, Youri Tielemans
• Attacking Midfield: John McGinn, Morgan Rogers, Emi Buendía
• Forward: Ollie Watkins

Aston Villa’s official website confirmed Ezri Konsa, Lucas Digne, John McGinn, Emi Buendía, and Ollie Watkins are all in the starting lineup (Aston Villa FC official site). Victor Lindelöf comes in for Amadou Onana from the 1-0 defeat at the City Ground, according to the same source. UEFA’s match preview also highlights this core group, noting the 4-2-3-1 shape as Emery’s trusted approach for big European nights.

Substitutes

• Robin Olsen
• Kortney Hause
• Ian Maatsen
• Boubacar Kamara
• Douglas Luiz
• Jaden Philogene
• Cameron Archer
• Jhon Durán

Tyrone Mings remains absent due to a knee injury, ruling him out of the squad entirely.

What this means: Villa’s lineup is built on control and creativity. Tielemans and Bogarde offer a balanced midfield base, while Buendía and McGinn provide the creative spark to unlock Forest’s likely deep block. Watkins’ pace is the primary weapon for stretching a depleted backline.

The implication: Emery’s side can afford to be patient and wait for gaps to open, protecting their slender lead.

Who will win Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa?

Bookmakers have installed Aston Villa as clear favorites. The composite opinion, drawn from current form, home advantage, and squad depth, points toward a Villa victory.

Match prediction and odds

• Bookmaker odds: Aston Villa win at 1.80, draw at 3.75, Forest win at 4.50 (The Sporting News)
• Recent form: Villa have won 3 of their last 5 home matches; Forest have drawn 2 of their last 5 away.
• Head-to-head: Last 5 meetings — Villa 2 wins, Forest 1 win, 2 draws.

The aggregate lead gives Villa the tactical freedom to dictate. Emery’s side can afford to be patient, inviting pressure before hitting on the counter. Forest, needing a goal to level the tie, must take risks.

The implication: Aston Villa’s blend of home advantage and tactical flexibility makes them the side most likely to progress. Forest’s path is steep but not impossible — an early goal would immediately reshape the contest.

Why did Villa goalkeeper get sent off?

This question stems from an unrelated piece of team news involving Aston Villa’s backup goalkeeper, Marco Bizot.

Bizot red card in FA Cup

• Marco Bizot was sent off in the FA Cup 4th round against Bournemouth for a reckless challenge in the 25th minute (BBC Sport).
• The suspension applies to domestic cup competitions and does not affect Europa League eligibility.
• Emiliano Martínez remains the undisputed first-choice goalkeeper for this semi-final.

This incident reinforces that Martínez’s starting spot was never in question. Bizot’s absence from domestic cup duties only further solidifies the Argentinian’s standing as Villa’s European leader between the posts.

The catch: For Villa, the Bizot suspension is a marginal depth concern. For this match, it has zero bearing on the lineup.

What is the predicted lineup for Nottingham Forest?

Nuno Espírito Santo faces a selection crisis. Several key players are either out injured, doubtful, or suspended, making the final lineup highly uncertain.

Expected starting XI (4-3-3) – highly dependent on fitness tests

• Goalkeeper: Matz Sels
• Defense: Neco Williams, Willy Boly, Murillo, Ola Aina
• Midfield: Ryan Yates, Ibrahim Sangaré, Morgan Gibbs-White
• Attack: Callum Hudson-Odoi, Chris Wood, Anthony Elanga

However, severe doubts hang over this lineup. According to The Sporting News, Murillo, Hudson-Odoi, Boly, and Aina are reported as unavailable, while Morgan Gibbs-White is listed as doubtful. Netz and Taiwo Awoniyi are suspended and therefore ineligible (The Sporting News). UEFA’s possible lineup (Ortega; Aina, Milenković, Morato, Williams; Hutchinson, Domínguez, Anderson, Gibbs-White; Igor Jesus; Wood) reflects the depth of planning needed to cope with these absences.

Key injury: Taiwo Awoniyi (hamstring) is doubtful. Kamara and Alysson are out for Aston Villa, and Ross Barkley is suspended.

The trade-off: Forest’s strength is their counter-attacking speed. Without Hudson-Odoi and Elanga (or if Gibbs-White is not fully fit), their ability to transition quickly is severely blunted. Nuno may have to rely on a more direct approach with Wood holding the ball up for runners.

What are the head-to-head statistics?

Five matchups, one big contrast: Aston Villa’s long-term historical edge versus Nottingham Forest’s recent resilience.

• Overall record (102 matches): Aston Villa 40 wins, Nottingham Forest 34 wins, 28 draws (Soccerway).
• At Villa Park: Villa 22 wins, Forest 11 wins, 18 draws.
• Most recent meeting: 1-1 draw in December 2025 (Premier League official stats).

The pattern: Villa’s historical advantage at home is clear, but Forest have proven difficult to break down in recent encounters. The 1-1 draw in December showed that Forest can frustrate Villa, but the aggregate dynamic now forces them to take more risks than they typically prefer.

The catch: Forest’s last-minute defending will be tested by Villa’s ability to counter quickly if the visitors commit numbers forward.

Timeline of Events

• 30 April 2026: First leg — Nottingham Forest 0-1 Aston Villa (Jhon Durán goal) (UEFA match preview)
• 5 May 2026: Pre-match press conferences — Emery and Nuno confirm lineups and injury updates (The Sporting News)
• 7 May 2026: Second leg at Villa Park — confirmed lineups released 1 hour before kickoff

Signal: Villa have the momentum from the first leg. The 5 May press conferences underscored the tactical divergence: Emery spoke about controlling tempo, while Nuno was focused on his side’s resilience.

Clarity: What’s locked in and what’s still in the air

Bottom line: Aston Villa enters the second leg with a clear tactical and personnel edge. The squad depth, home advantage, and European experience of Unai Emery tilt the scales heavily. For Nottingham Forest, the path to Istanbul requires a historically resilient defensive display or a moment of magic from their remaining fit attackers. For Nuno Espírito Santo, the decision is stark: absorb pressure and hope for penalties, or commit numbers forward and risk the tie slipping away completely.