Porto vs. Nottingham Forest: Vitor Pereira’s side bidding to extend 15-year streak of Portuguese giants in Europa League quarter-final

Nottingham Forest will be looking to extend an unwanted 15-year streak held by Porto in their Europa League quarter-final.

Vitor Pereira takes the Premier League outfit to face his former club in the first leg of their last-eight tie on Thursday evening.

Forest are back in action for the first time since they cruised to a 3-0 victory at Tottenham Hotspur on March 21.

Although surviving in the Premier League is the priority, Forest have the opportunity to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Ahead of the game in Portugal, there will be confidence that they can extend a recent unfavourable run held by their opponents.

What Porto streak do Nottingham Forest want to extend?

While Porto will be participating in their 18th European quarter-final, they have lost their last four ties at this stage of different competitions, a run that has lasted since 2010-11.

This will be the first time that they are playing in the last eight of a European tournament since losing to Chelsea in the 2020-21 Champions League.

Meanwhile, Porto have already suffered defeat to Forest in the League Phase this season, going down 2-0 at the City Ground in what was Sean Dyche’s first game in charge.

Nevertheless, while Forest have only lost one of their six Europa League away fixtures in 2025-26, it came in Portugal against Braga back in January.

Furthermore, Porto have emerged victorious from all five of their European games played at Estadio do Dragao in 2025-26.

Red Star Belgrade, Nice, Malmo, Rangers and Stuttgart have all been defeated.

Pereira returns to Porto for first time

Pereira is fondly remembered by Porto supporters having lifted back-to-back Primeira Liga titles between 2011 and 2013.

Having not managed a Portuguese side since then, Thursday’s fixture represents the first time that he has returned to play Porto in a competitive match.

He recorded 65 victories and just 12 defeats across 93 games during his famous two-year stint.