Nottingham Forest take on Aston Villa in their Europa League semi-final first leg at the City Ground on Thursday night
15:59, 29 Apr 2026Updated 16:30, 29 Apr 2026
Nottingham Forest head coach Vitor Pereira(Image: Getty)
Nottingham Forest are sweating on some fitness issues ahead of their Europa League semi-final clash with Aston Villa.
The Reds host their Premier League rivals in the first leg of the last-four tie at the City Ground on Thursday (8pm kick-off). Trying to gain an advantage ahead of next week’s return fixture at Villa Park will be the aim, with a place in next month’s showpiece finale on the line.
Centre-back Murillo is ruled out of this week’s match. Fellow Brazilian Jair Cunha is most likely to step in for his countryman, although he was forced off with an injury in last Friday’s 5-0 thumping of Sunderland.
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Jair did train with his teammates on Wednesday morning, in a positive sign he will be fit to face Villa. However, midfielder Ibrahim Sangare and winger Dan Ndoye were not part of the main group as they did some individual work indoors.
“Some problems, as every team has in this moment,” head coach Vitor Pereira said. “We are at the end of the season and have a lot of games. We will see.
“They (the injured players) are trying. The medical department are trying their best to recover everyone, but we will see which players we have.
“For sure, we will start with 11. And I hope we will finish with 11!”
Asked about Jair, Pereira added: “Our medical department are working hard to put everyone in condition to help us.”
In between the two meetings with Villa, Forest travel to face Chelsea on Monday for a big Premier League clash. It remains to be seen whether Murillo will have recovered from a suspected hamstring issue to make the trip to Stamford Bridge.
“He is trying to come back as soon as possible but he is not ready for tomorrow,” Pereira said. “He will not be long, I believe. Hopefully a few more days and he will be back.
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“I don’t have a magic ball so I cannot predict, but I think he is recovering. We’ll see.”
It is 42 years since the Reds last competed in a European semi-final. Pereira is determined his team will grasp the opportunity with both hands.
“It’s special for the players,” he said. “It was a long, long road to be here and now it is about enjoying it.
“I tell you, the pressure is to be ourselves as a team, to express themselves, for the players to express their qualities on the pitch. It is about doing everything and working hard to get a good result and to play good football. This is the pressure. This is the only pressure that we can have in this moment.”
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