Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest (UEFA Europa League semi-finals)

Fixture Date: 07/05/2026

Competition: UEFA Europa League Semi-Final

Please be aware that due to popular demand a limited reprint of this edition has been issued by the club so that all supporters can have the opportunity to obtain a copy and anything ordered post-match won't despatch until Friday 15th

Aston Villa will face Nottingham Forest in a mouth-watering first all-English semi-final in European competition in 17 years.

The Claret and Blues booked their spot in the UEFA Europa League semi-final with a 7-1 aggregate victory over Italian side Bologna, winning 4-0 in the second-leg at Villa Park, and will want a repeat performance under the lights in B6 on Thursday 7th May against Premier League opponents.

Unai Emery’s side were semi-finalists in the Conference League in 2023/24, then quarter-finalists in last campaign’s Champions League. In this season’s Europa League they finished second in the league phase, winning seven of their eight games, before eliminating Lille and Bologna to remain on course for the competition showpiece in Istanbul as they look to end a 30-year trophy drought.

They will face stern opposition from East Midlands side Forest, who last reached the semi-finals of a European competition in 1984. Vitor Pereira’s side eliminated Portuguese top-flight leaders Porto over two legs to keep their dreams alive of a first European final since 1980.

Villa have not lost at home to the Tricky Trees since 1994, most recently winning 3-1 in January’s top-flight meeting, and this latest encounter will be a first in European competition between the two. 

Supporters can now pre-order a copy of this commemorative edition of ‘The Aston Villa News & Record’. This in-demand issue will be an 84-page perfect-bound B5 size publication, in continuing with the series, and will be despatched on Wednesday 6th May if pre-ordered.

All pre-orders despatched should be expected no longer than five working days after the game. Any orders subsequently placed after the pre-order deadline of Tuesday 5th May will aim to be despatched within three working days. 

The price for this edition is £4, plus post and packaging to a UK/Ireland address.