Boasting a three-goal first-leg advantage, Nottingham Forest play host to Fenerbahce at the City Ground for the second leg of their Europa League knockout round playoff on Thursday night.
The winners of this tie on aggregate will face either Real Betis from Spain or Danish outfit FC Midtjylland in the last 16.
Match preview
Vitor Pereira made the perfect start to life as Nottingham Forest head coach, as he steered is new club to a statement 3-0 away victory over his former club Fenerbahce in last week’s first leg in Istanbul, just four days after his appointment was confirmed following the sacking of Sean Dyche.
The Tricky Trees dominated from start to finish in their first ever game in Turkey, as goals from Murillo, Igor Jesus and Morgan Gibbs-White inside the first 50 minutes were enough to seal the club’s biggest ever away win in European competition.
Pereira was hoping for a similarly stylish performance in Sunday’s Premier League home clash with Liverpool, and although they did control large periods of the match, especially the first half, it was the visitors who snatched all three points courtesy of a 97th-minute winner from Alexis Mac Allister.
Although losing 1-0 in that manner will certainly sting, leaving Forest 17th in the table and just two points above the relegation zone, Pereira has urged his players to “come back stronger and with confidence to face the future” as they bid to avoid the drop and progress further in Europe.
Forest can afford to lose by a two-goal margin on Thursday and still progress to the Europa League last 16, but they will be keen to put on a show at the City Ground as they attempt to win a third consecutive European match for the first time since 1983-84.
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© Imago / Seskim Photo TR
For the first time in European competition, Fenerbahce are reeling from back-to-back home defeats, after a 1-0 loss to Aston Villa in the League Phase was followed by last week’s playoff humbling by Forest, leaving them with a mountain to climb if they wish to progress to the last 16.
The Yellow Canaries have won only one of their last six games in the Europa League (D3 L2), while they have only prevailed in four of their 22 encounters with English opposition in European competition (D2 L13), which does not bode well ahead of Thursday’s trip to the City Ground.
In addition, Fenerbahce have failed to advance from any of their previous 26 European knockout ties after suffering a first-leg defeat. However, their 14-game unbeaten away run in all tournaments (W10 D4) since September gives Domenico Tedesco’s men reason to believe that a dramatic turnaround is still possible.
Fenerbahce head into their second leg with Forest after settling for a 1-1 home draw with Kasimpasa in the Turkish Super Lig on Monday, with Marco Asensio’s 95th-minute strike remarkably cancelled out in the 101st minute by the visitors with 10 men.
Despite that, the Yellow Canaries remain unbeaten after 23 top-flight matches (W15 D8) and have moved to within two points of leaders Galatasaray, who were beaten by Konyaspor. Their hopes of winning their first title since 2014 appears far more realistic than their prospects of European progression.
Nottingham Forest Europa League form:
Nottingham Forest form (all competitions):
Fenerbahce Europa League form:
Fenerbahce form (all competitions):
Team News
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© Imago
Nottingham Forest will be without Chris Wood, Nicolo Savona, John Victor, Willy Boly (all knee) and Matz Sels (groin) due to injury, while January signing Luca Netz is ineligible after being left out of the club’s Europa League squad.
Pereira will weigh up whether to rotate his side or stick with the same starting lineup for the third game running. Gibbs-White, Elliot Anderson, Ryan Yates and Igor Jesus are all strong candidates to start, even though they are all one booking away from a suspension.
Jesus is the Europa League’s joint-top goalscorer this season with seven goals and the Brazilian will battle with January addition Lorenzo Lucca for a start up front.
As for Fenerbahce, they are dealing with an injury crisis as Milan Skriniar (groin), Caglar Soyuncu (muscle), Anderson Talisca, Ederson (both hamstring) and Edson Alvarez (ankle) are all sidelined, the former of whom sustained his injury in the first leg.
Jayden Oosterwolde (groin) is another player injured, but he is also suspended for this match along with ex-Man United midfielder Fred due to an accumulation of yellow cards, while Anthony Musaba and Mert Gunok are both ineligible after being left out of the club’s Europa League squad.
Fenerbahce are light in the defensive department, as Yigit Efe is the only natural centre-back option available. Tedesco may therefore turn to Mert Muldur or Matteo Guendouzi to play at the heart of a back four.
Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:
Ortega; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Anderson, Sangare; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus
Fenerbahce possible starting lineup:
Cetin; Semedo, Muldur, Efe, Muldur; Brown, Guendouzi, Kante; Asensio, Cherif, Akturkoglu
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We say: Nottingham Forest 3-1 Fenerbahce (Forest to win 6-1 on aggregate)
Fenerbahce have no choice but to try and take the game to Forest as they attempt to pose a much greater threat in the final third and pull off a miraculous comeback. However, considering their injury woes, overturning a three-goal deficit seems unlikely.
Even if Forest do decide to rest a couple of key players, Pereira should still field a strong enough side to outscore their Turkish counterparts and secure a comfortable victory on aggregate.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.