Good evening and welcome to The Independent's coverage of the Europa League semi-final second leg between Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest. The two Premier League sides meet again at Villa Park after Forest secured a 1-0 victory in the first leg at the City Ground last week. That result gives Vítor Pereira's team a slender advantage as they aim to reach the final.
First Leg Recap
The opening leg was decided by a moment of controversy. Lucas Digne raised his arm while contesting a ball near the byline with Omari Hutchinson, leading to a penalty for handball after a lengthy VAR check. Chris Wood kept his composure to convert the spot-kick, giving Forest a 1-0 lead. Despite a late barrage from Villa, Forest held on to take the advantage into the second leg.
Team Form
Both sides enter this match in contrasting form. Forest, who rested key players for their previous league game, defeated Chelsea 3-1 convincingly. Villa, meanwhile, fielded a much-changed side and suffered a defeat against relegation-threatened Tottenham. Unai Emery's men must rediscover the form that made them Europa League favourites earlier in the competition if they are to overturn the deficit.
What to Expect
Aston Villa, with home advantage, will look to attack from the outset. Emery has a strong track record in this tournament, having won it multiple times. Forest, however, will aim to defend their lead and hit on the counter-attack. Kick-off is at 8pm BST, and we will bring you all the team news, line-ups, and updates throughout the evening.
Stay tuned for live coverage as the drama unfolds at Villa Park.
