Nottingham Forest secured a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final on April 30, 2026, at the City Ground. Chris Wood scored the decisive penalty after Lucas Digne handled the ball, giving Forest a narrow advantage heading into the return leg.
Aston Villa’s goalkeeper, Emiliano Martínez, made a significant save to deny Igor Jesus in the first half. However, Villa faced further setbacks when Amadou Onana, who had been passed fit to start, was forced off with a hamstring problem.
Unai Emery, manager of Aston Villa and a four-time Europa League winner, expressed confidence despite the defeat. He predicted a “long game,” suggesting that the return leg will be tightly contested.
Key match details:
- Nottingham Forest won with a single goal scored by Chris Wood.
- Aston Villa failed to score in this match.
- The return leg will take place at Villa Park.
Forest came into this match on a high after a 5-0 win against Sunderland in their previous outing. Conversely, Aston Villa suffered a 1-0 defeat against Fulham just before facing Forest.
The final of the Europa League is scheduled for May 20 in Istanbul. Damian Vidagany remarked, “At Villa Park will be our time. Match of our lives,” indicating that Villa is determined to overturn the deficit.
