Aston Villa are set to take a major step toward European glory as they travel to the City Ground for the first leg of their Europa League semifinal against Nottingham Forest. With a spot in the final on the line, Unai Emery's side is aiming to build a commanding lead and keep their dream of lifting the trophy alive.
Emery is no stranger to this stage—this marks his seventh Europa League semifinal as a manager, and he has advanced from each of his last five appearances at this point. Villa have been the competition's most prolific scorers, netting 24 goals so far, and they come into this match on a nine-game winning streak in the Europa League. However, they'll need to bounce back from a disappointing 1-0 domestic loss to Fulham. A victory tonight would bring them closer to a first European final in 44 years.
Defensively, Villa have been rock solid, ranking joint-first for clean sheets in the tournament this season. But they face a significant midfield crisis for this crucial tie. Amadou Onana is a late fitness doubt after missing the Fulham match with a knee injury, while Boubacar Kamara remains sidelined long-term with a serious knee issue. Ross Barkley and Alysson are ineligible after being omitted from the squad, leaving Lamare Bogarde as the most likely candidate to step into central midfield.
Youri Tielemans will bring experience alongside Bogarde in the middle of the park, while John McGinn and Morgan Rogers are expected to provide width and creativity in attack. Ollie Watkins, who has scored four goals in his last four games, is set to lead the line—his clinical finishing could be the difference-maker. Tyrone Mings may also return to the starting XI to anchor the defense and provide much-needed stability.
Aston Villa Predicted XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen, Bogarde, Tielemans, McGinn, Rogers, Buendia, Watkins
The first leg kicks off at 20:00 BST on Thursday, 30 April 2026, at the City Ground. UK viewers can catch the action live on TNT Sports 1, with coverage starting an hour before kickoff. Streaming is also available via HBO Max for subscribers. It's a night of high stakes and high drama—Villa's European dream hangs in the balance.