Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa: Supercomputer predicts Europa League quarter-final ties ahead of first legs

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Credit: Imago Mon 6 April 2026 11:32, UK Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa will be hoping to get off to a good start in the first legs of their Europa League quarter-finals on Thursday.Vitor Pereira’s team progressed past FC Midtjylland on penalties last month, after a superb performance away in Denmark. The two sides met earlier in the season at the City Ground, with Nottingham Forest undoubtedly carrying the confidence of their 2-0 win for this tie.Villa will also face a team that they beat during the group stage, Bologna.

The visit of the Italian side in September gave Unai Emery’s team their first win of the season, ending a six-game winless run.Nottingham Forest’s form has improved of late, and both they and Villa will go into their quarter-finals with confidence. ⚽ Nottingham Forest Matchday ⚽ Team news, line-ups, expert previews and tactical analysis for every Nottingham Forest fixture. The Spaniard is the most successful manager in the competition’s history, and will be well aware that the prize of Champions League football would be just as valuable as the trophy itself.Opta‘s supercomputer has handed Villa a 74.53 per cent chance of making it to the semi-final, with Bologna representing one of the weaker teams remaining in the competition.Nottingham Forest are in a strange situation, with their Europa League hopes coming in the background of their fight against Premier League relegation.

Nottingham Forest have been given just a 44.36 per cent chance of making it past Porto.How will the Europa League semi-finals look?The Europa League is set for an all-English affair if both Premier League clubs make it through the quarter-finals. Villa have already beaten Nottingham Forest once this season, and the pair will face off again in the league this week.