Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa has issued a rallying cry ahead of Thursday's crucial Europa League semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest, urging his teammates to "stay calm" and "execute" their gameplan.

Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, Villa are facing a must-win scenario at Villa Park. The pressure is compounded by a recent slump—Unai Emery's side have lost three consecutive matches, including a weekend defeat to Tottenham where the manager made eight changes to his lineup.

"We've got to put it behind us," Konsa said. "The good thing about football is that the games come thick and fast. We've got to forget about the past three games and focus on this one. We feel good and we know we are playing at home in front of our fans—it will be a special night."

The defender acknowledged the season's ups and downs, describing it as "a rollercoaster with a lot of dips in form and then weeks of crazy form." However, he remains confident in the squad's ability to bounce back. "We just need to go back to basics and what we know. We know how good we are and how good we can be if we all stick together."

With Aston Villa chasing their first trophy in 30 years, Konsa and captain John McGinn are leaning on their experience to keep nerves in check. "Playing at home is a big advantage for us. When the crowd gets going, they are with us from minute one to the end," he said. "Reaching a European final is something we want to do as players, and it will be special for the fans too."

As the pressure mounts, Konsa's message is simple: "We have a gameplan, so we just have to go out there and execute it. It is as simple as that."