Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa live
- Nottingham Forest edge Aston Villa 1-0 in first leg of Europa League semi-final
- '71 GOAL! Wood scores from the spot after Digne penalised for handball [NFO 1-0 AVL]
- '57 SAVE! Ortega palms away Watkins volley as both sides search for opener [NFO 0-0 AVL]
- '33 SAVE! Martinez makes amazing double save to deny Jesus [NFO 0-0 AVL]
- '32 RED CARD? Anderson gets away with studs-up challenge on Watkins [NFO 0-0 AVL]
- '28 SAVE! Ortega palms away fine Rogers effort [NFO 0-0 AVL]
Gibbs-White reacts to Martinez's brilliant save:
01:00 , Flo Clifford“How's he saved that, by the way? How's he saved that? He did one similar last year. I was screaming at Igor going 'how have you not scored that?' But it's all credit to the goalkeeper, it's a great save.”
Morgan Gibbs-White continues:
Friday 1 May 2026 00:34 , Flo Clifford“I think having the two strikers up there helps me and Omari out massively because it leaves their two centre-backs isolated and it allows us to have the space to come inside and do what we need to do.”
On Chris Wood, he says: ““He's been a massive miss for us this season. Fair play to him for coming back so early. He's been a credit to us since he's come back and long may it continue.
“Never in doubt. Full confidence in him. Ten years. That's why he's our penalty taker. It's an incredible finish. Cool, calm, composed. We know as a team we can rely on him when we need him. And it showed.”
Morgan Gibbs White tells TNT Sports:
Friday 1 May 2026 00:15 , Flo CliffordOn new manager Vitor Pereira, he says: “He's been a massive part of the success that we've recently had in terms of his ideas, his tactics. The way he believes football should be with passion, aggression and fight. We've been showing that in our performances. The atmosphere today was incredible. I think the boys put on an incredible performance.
“The control we had in the game, even when they had the ball, we felt we had control. We weren't comfortable because obviously they have incredible talent and threat but with the ball we were calm, confident, had a couple of chances where we could have gone 1-0 up before. But delighted for Woody to score his penalty.
“But it's only half-time. There's a lot to do.”
Vitor Pereira continues:
Thursday 30 April 2026 23:55 , Flo CliffordOn the second half, he says: “We changed the players but kept the spirit. The mentality to try to win games. The supporters, fantastic, they help us a lot. Next time we face a big battle.
“For me it's an honour to manage this club, to try to help these players, to see the smiles on the faces of these supporters. To be part of the Nottingham family with a manager in the memory of everyone [Brian Clough].
“I am very proud of my players.”
Chris Wood tells TNT Sports:
Thursday 30 April 2026 23:35 , Flo CliffordAsked about how he stayed so calm before taking his penalty, he says: “That's what I have to do and that's what I try to do. It's the job, the responsibility that my team gives me.”
On his important role in the team after a difficult injury spell, he says: “That's all I wanted to do. I wanted to get back fit and firing to help my team as best as I can at the end of the season. I knew we had a lot to play for when I was fighting to get fit and it's showing. It's some big competitions to be a part of.
“We're in the crunch end of the season. We need to perform on both parts and we'll be looking to do that for sure.”
Vitor Pereira tells TNT Sports:
Thursday 30 April 2026 23:15 , Flo Clifford“They are a very tough team, but we competed with them. I like to see us playing football, trying to score. We have time to recover a bit and prepare for Chelsea. This is a special group of players.
“Unai Emery is a top manager, he has been with his team for a long time. We are together for a short time. In the end it was a good fight. I am very competitive, that's why I like to be in the Premier League, to compete with this kind of manager.
“I had the privilege to be the manager of these boys, they are a fantastic group. Spirit, four managers in a season, and finishing at this level, competing at this level together and united. This is a honour for me.”
Elsewhere...
Thursday 30 April 2026 23:00 , Flo CliffordSo Braga lead 2-1 in their tie with Freiburg after a 92nd-minute goal from substitute Mario Dorgeles.
Crystal Palace lead Shakhtar Donetsk 3-1 after the away leg of their Conference League semi-final, held in Poland, and have a nice cushion to take back to Selhurst Park next week.
Unai Emery tells TNT Sports:
Thursday 30 April 2026 22:51 , Flo CliffordOn Anderson’s challenge on Watkins, Emery says: “Fantastic the referee, fantastic. But the VAR is so so bad. It's a clear red card, I don't understand why the VAR is not calling the referee because it's so clear. It's a huge, huge mistake. VAR is responsible.
“The referee - fantastic, fantastic job, 10 out of 10, I appreciated how he managed the match for 90 minutes.
“I watched it back - wow. Huge. He could break his ankle. VAR where are you? It is your responsibility, we are professionals. It was so clear for everybody. He could break his ankle. It's not fair.”
Vitor Pereira tells TNT Sports:
Thursday 30 April 2026 22:45 , Flo Clifford“The problem in the game last time we played them, a lot of times it was two against two, and it's not easy to control them. I asked my players to play four against four with just one midfielder jumping.
“I am proud we played in our way, pressing high but if they attack then reorganise team in a block. Tactically, we did what we should.
“The transition of Villa is very dangerous, when they drive with the ball at our defensive line, it's a big problem.
“When we go to win the ball we cannot lose, because they [Villa] are very aggressive in that moment.”
Vitor Pereira doing the job for Forest
Thursday 30 April 2026 22:30 , Flo CliffordForest are on their fourth manager of the season and it seems to be fourth time lucky. Nine games unbeaten on all fronts, four straight wins, and 10 straight goals with no reply.
Fine margins
Thursday 30 April 2026 22:10 , Flo CliffordChris Wood is certainly right on that front: the sides were very hard to separate.
Forest had 11 shots to Villa’s 10, five on target to their four, 19 touches in the opposition box to Villa’s 23, and just a shade over 50 per cent possession to Villa’s 49-and-a-bit.
Chris Wood tells TNT Sports:
Thursday 30 April 2026 22:10 , Flo Clifford“It's nice to have the advantage, but we now go onto Villa Park and it's going to be a tough game because they are good at their place.
“But we've done the job here at home and now hopefully we can build into next week.
“It's a cup competition; they come down to small margins and small moments at times.
“The teams couldn't be split. I think both teams played very well, but small moments change games and thankfully it went in our favour tonight and hopefully again next week.”
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 22:04 , Flo CliffordThe second leg will take place next Thursday, 8 May, at Villa Park, with kick-off at 8pm.
The winner will face either Freiburg or Braga, with the latter 2-1 up after their home leg.
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:59 , Flo CliffordFireworks explode over the City Ground and the home fans are on cloud nine as they file out.
This is the man they have to thank:
RECAP: Nottingham Forest 1-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:56 , Flo CliffordNottingham Forest edged Aston Villa in a closely fought first leg of their Europa League semi-final and will take a one-goal lead to Villa Park next week.
A tense but goalless first half was dominated by fine goalkeeping performances, with Emi Martinez making a superb double save from Igor Jesus from right on the goalline.
And neither side looked likely to score in the second - until Lucas Digne was penalised for handball as he flung an arm up when duelling with Omari Hutchinson at the byline.
The Forest player did well to hook a cross that looked destined to go out back into the box, knocking it off Digne’s arm in the process, and after a lengthy VAR check Forest were awarded the penalty.
Chris Wood smashed a sublime spot-kick into the top corner and although Forest pressed for another, and Villa spurned chances of their own, Vitor Pereira’s men came out on top with a 1-0 victory at a bouncing City Ground.
FULL-TIME! Nottingham Forest 1-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:53 , Flo Clifford‘90+5: Advantage Forest going into the second leg!
Chris Wood’s penalty, and Lucas Digne’s bizarre handball, is the difference!
SAVE! Nottingham Forest 1-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:52 , Flo Clifford‘90+5: Sancho holds up the ball, opens up his body and lets fly - but it’s a comfortable save for Ortega.
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:50 , Flo Clifford‘90+2: Villa corner. Youngster Abbott gets lots of plaudits from his teammates for heading it behind for another one. Tielemans’ next effort is deeper, and Wood heads it away.
It’s recycled, and Ortega catches the ball in.
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:47 , Flo Clifford‘90: Yates comes on for Jesus and takes the armband of Gibbs-White, here to see them over the line.
Five minutes added on.
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:47 , Flo Clifford‘89: Anderson crosses from deep for Williams, who pulls it back for Gibbs-White... and his ball into the box is punted clear by Torres.
Forest recycle but Williams’ header is straight at the keeper.
Villa immediately counter but Tielemans, having got the better of Murato with a nice stepover, blasts a poor effort over the bar.
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:45 , Flo Clifford‘88: Dominguez is in danger of having the ball taken off him but keeps it alive with a stylish bicycle kick. Forest are enjoying most of the ball now and knock it back and forth between them for a bit.
There’ll be a fair bit of added time, I should think, after that long penalty check.
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:41 , Flo Clifford‘83: Gibbs-White darts in behind Bogarde and lashes a tightly angled attempt at goal... that would have been quite the strike. Forest are very lively now, really pushing for a second.
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:39 , Flo Clifford‘82: Williams fouls Rogers and Luiz bends in a free-kick against his former club, headed away by Wood.
Sancho bursts inside the box but Forest track back to deal with him.
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:36 , Flo Clifford‘78: Amazingly, it’s taken this long for a yellow card, and it goes to Tielemans for knocking down Anderson.
Poor old Digne gets booed off as he’s replaced by Maatsen. McGinn and Buendia go off too, replaced by Sancho and Luiz.
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:34 , Flo Clifford‘76: Incidentally, Nottingham Forest have had a lot of luck winning penalties in this season of the Europa League: seven, more than any other team.
19-year-old Zach Abbott is on for his seventh Europa League appearance of the season.
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:32 , Flo Clifford‘74: Aina is in a spot of bother and Abbott replaces him.
Here’s that penalty.
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:29 , Flo Clifford‘72: Martinez went the right way but there was just no way he was getting that. The City Ground goes wild.
GOAL! Nottingham Forest 1-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:28 , Flo Clifford‘71: Wood stands over it. He’s got Martinez to beat.
Riffles it into the top corner!!
PENALTY! Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:27 , Flo Clifford‘70: It’s a penalty!
Digne looks gutted. Emery gestures and mouths for everyone to calm down.
PENALTY? Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:26 , Flo Clifford‘69: Referee Joao Pinheiro thinks the ball went out, but VAR are taking a very close look. And now the ref is sent to the monitor!
PENALTY? Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:25 , Flo Clifford‘67: Have Forest got a penalty? A deep cross nearly finds Hutchinson at the byline, he manages to keep it alive and hook it in, but it takes a knock off Digne’s outstretched arm, and Forest want a penalty!
VAR are checking it....
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:24 , Flo Clifford‘66: Villa break! Cash makes a driving run down the right and squares it sweetly to Watkins in the centre, but Milenkovic makes the block.
Emery is furious as Tielemans plays a lovely ball into the path of Buendia, but it catches him by surprise and he just lets it drift by.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:22 , Flo Clifford‘65: Forest play a corner short and Anderson bends in a cross... straight to Martinez. Not good enough.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:20 , Flo Clifford‘63: TNT Sports comms suggests there’s an element of fear in play, both teams would rather not concede than score, and it’s hard not to agree. All a bit tentative.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:17 , Flo Clifford‘60: Digne slides in on Aina and gets the ball, but a bit of his man too. Pereira is not best pleased as play continues.
SAVE! Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:15 , Flo Clifford‘57: Now then! Villa break, Rogers curls a sweet cross towards Watkins, who volleys it towards Ortega, and the keeper does well to palm it away!
McGinn’s delivery is headed away and Forest have a goal kick, which they take their sweet time dealing with. Anderson gees up the crowd a bit.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:11 , Flo Clifford‘54: Anderson’s corner is very deep, too deep, and Rogers flicks it behind for another corner.
Hutchinson’s delivery is headed away by Digne.
Onana meanwhile pulled his hamstring in the process of that great defensive header, and he’s replaced by Bogarde. That’s a concern.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:10 , Flo Clifford‘53L Hutchinson is still rolling out his shoulder, where he landed awkwardly, but seems okay to continue for now. Dominguez fizzes a great cross in to him as Forest crowd out the Villa box, but it’s tame.
Now Anderson lofts one in for Wood but Onana makes a brilliant defensive header, behind for a Forest corner!
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:07 , Flo Clifford‘50: A rather physical start to the half. Digne bundles over Hutchinson, who has been through the wars today. Break in play for him to get some treatment.
SECOND HALF: Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:03 , Flo Clifford‘46: No changes by either side at the break. Rogers protests loudly as there’s a stoppage for him hauling down Dominguez. Free-kick to Forest.
Anderson sends it looping towards Milenkovic, who heads towards goal... a straightforward catch for Martinez.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 21:02 , Flo CliffordAway we go with the second half!
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 20:47 , Flo Clifford‘45: Watkins and Anderson clash again, the former getting a bit of his own back after that earlier challenge by kneeing him to the ground. He escapes a yellow, but could argue Anderson escaped a red.
That’s the end of the half! Still 0-0, but far from uneventful.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 20:44 , Flo Clifford‘43: Forest free-kick... Aina heads the ball beautifully, it comes back to Milenkovic on the edge of the box but he skies it well over the bar... the flag goes up anyway.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 20:43 , Flo Clifford‘42: Watkins makes himself a nuisance again. He escapes the first man so Forest resort to just barging him out the way, and Villa win an easy free-kick, deep on the right.
It’s dealt with reasonably quickly and Forest counter at speed, Hutchinson darting around Cash with ease, so McGinn trips him up. Forest free-kick in the middle of the park.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 20:40 , Flo Clifford‘39: Villa have a corner which Ortega could gather easily, but there’s a miscommunication and Jesus heads it behind for another one which Forest really shouldn’t have conceded.
Fortunately for them, the next one comes to nothing too.
SAVE! Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 20:36 , Flo Clifford‘33: Incredible save by Martinez!
Anderson lofts a lovely pass over the top to Gibbs-White, who cuts it back for Jesus. He volleys it goalward, but Martinez gets a powerful hand onto it, palming down, and then has to make an astonishing stop on the spin and on the ground, just about keeping it out on the goal-line. The Forest fans were already celebrating a goal before realising he’d got it!
RED CARD?! Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 20:34 , Flo Clifford‘32: Gibbs-White loses the ball and Watkins looks to capitalise, but England teammate Anderson crunches in on him - after a cheeky nutmeg, ouch - and Watkins is down. That’s a full-throated challenge, studs up on the ankle. Red card? The check’s over, it’s a no.
SAVE! Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 20:30 , Flo Clifford‘28: Forest give the ball away cheaply and Watkins goes on the rampage, darting away. He lays it off for Rogers but Ortega gets his fingertips to it! Excellent save.
Forest counter at speed but Gibbs-White’s angled shot lands on the roof of the net. Hutchinson cut that back for him and has been very industrious down the left flank.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 20:28 , Flo Clifford‘26: Hutchinson tries to bend a ball round Digne at the byline but the Villa man sends it behind for a corner - the home fans try their luck at getting a penalty, claiming it hit Digne’s arm, but no dice.
Hutchinson sends an effort straight at Torres. A good spell by Forest now after Villa settled quicker.
CHANCE! Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 20:25 , Flo Clifford‘24: Now Konsa makes a good block as Gibbs-White rushes forward again, and Buendia makes a great defensive header at the back post. The resulting corner doesn’t trouble Martinez.
CHANCE! Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 20:24 , Flo Clifford‘22: Forest counter... cross into the box Gibbs-White leaps to it early, under pressure from two defenders, and just doesn’t get the purchase on it.
Hutchinson has gone down meanwhile after a challenge in the build-up, but looks okay to continue.
CLOSE! Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 20:22 , Flo Clifford‘21: Villa suddenly burst into danger out of nowhere as Cash sends a sweet ball into the box for Buendia... Aina is there and heads it back to his keeper but very nearly gets it wrong as Ortega dives out to save!
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 20:17 , Flo Clifford‘16: Tielemans intercepts in midfield and Villa move up at speed... Cash is there on the overlap but Forest make the block, and it’s a Villa corner.
McGinn hovers over it... Torres gets to it at the near post but his flick-on is off target.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 20:14 , Flo Clifford‘13: Aston Villa have been on top so far, but both sides are still feeling their way into this game.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 20:11 , Flo Clifford‘10: Wood gets the resulting corner away and McGinn miskicks it at the edge of the box trying to recycle, to derisive cheers form the home fans.
In the other semi-final, Tiknaz has scored for Braga against Freiburg.
SAVE! Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 20:10 , Flo Clifford‘9: Morato glides through but Morato is well placed to block him... but Jesus is dispossessed in the middle of the park and Tielemans goes for glory from range! It’s a lovely thumped right-footed strike but Ortega palms it away for a corner.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 20:09 , Flo Clifford‘8: The first corner of the night is won by Villa as Dominguez sends a Digne long throw behind.
It’s taken short and worked to the other side of the box, where McGinn bends a deep ball to Konsa near-ish the far post... he doesn’t really get anything on it.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 20:07 , Flo Clifford‘6: It’s been a busy start at both ends. Pau Torres makes a rather robust challenge on Igor Jesus to bring an end to a move nicely set up by Aina.
Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 20:04 , Flo Clifford‘3: Hutchinson is nearly taken out by a Digne tackle as he ventures down the left channel but does well to stay on his feet and bend an inviting cross into the box - but Wood and Jesus get in each other’s way and make a hash of a good chance.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 20:03 , Flo Clifford‘2: Igor Jesus overcooks a pass aimed at Gibbs-White and it rolls out for an Aston Villa goal-kick.
Villa counter at speed and Rogers dances into the box, but Williams makes an important block.
KICK-OFF: Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa
Thursday 30 April 2026 20:01 , Flo CliffordHere we go!
