Aston Villa

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We asked for your first names on the team-sheet for Thursday's huge Europa League semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest.

Here are some of your comments:

Prit: No question - Super John McGinn. What this season has proved is that our midfield is the engine and rock everything that is good is built from. When we had McGinn, Boubacar Kamara, Youri Tielemans and Amadou Onana we were pretty much unstoppable, and even being talked as potential champions. But what the debacle against Tottenham proved is that McGinn is the cornerstone on which our success is built.

Damo: The spine of Villa's first XI is so well established we all know the majority of the team that will be starting on Thursday. Players like Ezri Konsa, Tielemans, Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins are almost ever-present. Given the importance of the match and the pressure and tension of the night, I think the most important name is John McGinn. He's the one most likely to drag the team out of any inertia and drive us forward with energy. If we play with the right attitude, we will win this tie.

Rob: I think the team virtually picks itself: Emiliano Martinez, Matty Cash, Konsa, Lucas Digne, Tielemans, Douglas Luiz, McGinn, Rogers, Jadon Sancho, Watkins. Sancho or Emi Buendia is the only tough call for me. We need more pace and creativity up top so Sancho gets the nod. He owes us a big performance!

Paul: Martinez, not just because he is the number one but he is superb in the big occasions. Outfield, the first name would be Pau Torres normally, but with a need to score it will be McGinn (if fit) - another big-game player who rises to the occasion.

Elliot: With Onana out, our biggest concern is how to control the midfield. Tielemans is a given, but I think pairing him with Luiz instead of Lamare Bogarde will give us that edge that could make or break the tie.

Shirley: I've been sweating on the fitness news for Onana since the first leg when he limped off. Without Kamara, he becomes key to the 'bottom-of-the-four box mid' Emery likes so much. With a weak pairing there we might get away with things against a tippy-tappy, typical Europa tie - but against physical Forest and their low-block - this isn't the strongest squad by far. Juggling and moving players around to fill the Kamara/Onana sized hole starts to get 'titanic deckchair' like. I hope the B6 crowd doesn't turn if the first half goes 100% pear-shaped. SCR will be the loss of Emery if this continues.

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BBC Sport columnist Guillem Balague says the first hour of Thursday's Europa league semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest will be "important" because that is when Unai Emery will have his best players on the pitch.

Villa go into the game on the back of three consecutive defeats as they look to end a 30-year wait for major silverware.

"Europe is different and Unai insisted that in his press conference," Balague told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast.

"It's a different game and a huge game.

"It does feel like a turning point for the squad. Not so much for Unai's story with Villa, which will continue - forget the rumours about Atletico Madrid - but it feels like the squad have got something to prove.

"If you look closely there are 12 or 13 players of the highest quality who have adapted quickly to the Emery style and there's a big gap between them and the rest.

"So, it will be important what happens in the first hour with the best XI that they have. I'm pretty sure Villa Park won't be like how it was against Spurs with all the fans leaving by the end. It will be rocking.

"Forest are flying. Sometime it's not about who the best team is but instead about who has the momentum. Quite clearly, Forest have shown they have a sharpness right now that Villa lacked in the first leg.

"But, this is Unai Emery and this is his competition. This is a Villa desperate to get through into the final so it will be very, very tight."

Listen to the full chat from 08:15 on BBC Sounds

David Michael
Fan writer

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'Must-win' is a phrase that gets thrown around so flippantly in football it's almost lost all meaning. But Aston Villa's Europa League semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest at Villa Park might genuinely be the epitome of one, and the stakes extend well beyond ending a three-decade major trophy drought.

Last season, Champions League football carried a novelty value that swept the club along. Next season, with the North Stand redevelopment reducing Villa Park to a 33,000 capacity, it'll potentially be a less spectacular affair. Likely qualification is looking more critical for the balance sheet than as a platform for this team to impress. Five wins in their 16 league games in 2026 tells its own story.

The impact hasn't been felt yet. Villa have two fewer points than they did at this point last season, yet they sit two places higher than they were then.

Their drop-off this year hasn't cost them as dearly as it could have, cushioned by the poor form of others and the extra coefficient place. Yes, there have been mitigating circumstances like key injuries, but they are lucky to still be where they are.

Unai Emery has built something transformative, but this squad - per minutes played this season - is the second oldest in the league, the recruitment hasn't kept pace, and diminishing returns are already showing.

The Europa League in the trophy cabinet would address that, define Emery's era on his own terms and buy time and legitimacy for the rebuild that needs to come.

Forest arrive at Villa Park as the Premier League's form team and they're also five points better off than Villa during 2026, despite spending much of the season embroiled in a relegation battle.

Eight changes at Chelsea and they barely broke sweat in a 3-1 win. Villa's own seven-change experiment against Tottenham was met with boos at Villa Park. The contrast in momentum going into the semi-final couldn't be starker.

Qualifying for the Champions League in two of the past three seasons would be great progress.

However, football has a no-nonsense way of contextualising progress - it asks what you won. Villa's answer to that question has been silence for 30 years.

Thursday night at Villa Park provides a chance to finally say something different.

Find more from David Michael at My Old Man Said, external

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Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa says he and his team-mates "just have to stay calm" and "execute" their gameplan for the second leg of the Europa Leg semi-final against Nottingham Forest.

Unai Emery's men trail Forest 1-0 going into Thursday's game and suffered a third consecutive loss when beaten by Tottenham at the weekend, a match Emery made eight changes for.

"We've got to put it behind us and the good thing about football is that the games come thick and fast," said Konsa. "We've got to forget about the past three games and focus on this one.

"We feel good and we know we are playing at home in front of our fans and it will be a special night.

"The season has been a rollercoaster with a lot of ups and downs in terms of dips in form and then weeks of crazy form.

"We just need to go back to basics and what we know. We know how good we are and how good we can be if we all stick together.

"It isn't going well for us right now, but we are feeling good and are ready to go."

As Aston Villa try to end a 30-year trophy drought, Konsa hopes he and captain John McGinn can use their experience to calm the nerves.

"Playing at home is a big advantage for us," Konsa added. "We know when the crowd gets going they are with us from minute one to the end.

"Reaching a European final is something we want to do as players and it will be special for the fans also.

"We know how nerve-wracking these games can be, especially when you are playing at home in the second leg, but we just have to stay calm.

"We have a gameplan so we just have to go out there and execute it. It is as simple as that."

Hit play below to hear more from Konsa or listen on BBC Sounds here

Listen to full commentary of Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest at 20:00 on Thursday on BBC Radio WM [95.6FM/DAB/Freeview 714]

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The training sessions have finished. The kits have been ironed. The managers have spoken. The countdown is on.

Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest have finished their preparations for their Europa League semi-final second leg encounter at Villa Park on Thursday night (20:00 BST).

Both clubs are looking to reach a major European final for the first time in over 40 years so, whichever way the result swings, it is sure to be a historic night in the Midlands.

Both managers rested first team players in the Premier League last weekend, with Unai Emery making seven changes against Tottenham and Vitor Pereira conjuring up eight changes against Chelsea.

Everything is pointing to both bosses fielding their best XIs, but both will naturally have to contend with some injury issues.

In Emery's news conference, he confirmed Amadou Onana will be absent after picking up a calf injury in the first leg last week. However, John McGinn will be back in contention after training normally following some hamstring tightness.

In Pereira's news conference, he said a late decision will be made on Morgan Gibbs-White's availability after picking up a head injury, which required stitches, last time out. However, Zach Abbott has been cleared to play following a different clash of heads. Murillo's return from a hamstring injury was also not fully ruled out.

So, now you know the team news, who would be the first names on your team sheet for what could be your club's biggest fixture of the season so far?

Tell us your pick and your reason here

Millie Sian
BBC Sport journalist

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been speaking to the media before Thursday's Europa League semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest at Villa Park (kick-off 20:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Emery confirmed Amadou Onana did not take part in training after picking up a calf injury in the first-leg last week, and the defensive midfielder will "obviously not" be available for the second leg. However, he is "confident" Aston Villa have enough options in midfield positions to "still get a performance overall".

• Despite not featuring against Tottenham on Sunday due to hamstring tightness, John McGinn has "trained normally" and should be available.

• When asked if not picking the same starting XI in the past three matches has contributed to a run of three defeats in all competitions, Emery replied: "Yes, but we had some players out injured and we also needed to rest some players because they were at risk of getting injured."

• He added: "It is always about getting the right balance in order to still get the performance. Sometimes we achieve it, sometimes we don't - that's football."

• Villa having the opportunity to qualify for the Europa League final is "really something fantastic", given the side failed to win any of their first six games of the season.

• Emery explained: "I am excited, 100%. I am so motivated. When I arrived here three-and-a-half years ago, it was a dream to be playing a semi-final in the Europa League."

• On whether the players have learned anything from their previous cup semi-finals: "Yes, but this is the first time we are playing a match like this here. In the Conference League semi-final two years ago, the first leg was at home and the second leg was away. Last year, we only went as far as the quarter-finals in the Champions League. We did play in the FA Cup semi-finals last year, but even that was just one match in London."

• Nottingham Forest "have the advantage" and "are the favourites" heading into the fixture, but he is "confident" the home supporters will bring the atmosphere at Villa Park.

• He added: "I'm going to enjoy it. In fact, I'm enjoying it now. I would prefer to be here right now [talking to the media] than at home."

• It will not be a failure if Aston Villa don't reach the Europa League final explained Emery: "To reach a semi-final is a huge achievement. To win a trophy is very difficult. It's not a defeat if we don't win a trophy. The objective is to always keep improving and make sure we have these opportunities in the present and in the future. We have the opportunity right now, but only one team is going to win. This is football."

• He also doesn't believe this will be the final opportunity for this current group to win a major trophy at the club, as they will "set more challenges for the present and for the future" and they can still "be proud of everything" they have achieved as a collective in the past three years.

Hit play above to hear more from Emery or listen on BBC Sounds here

Listen to live build-up and commentary of Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest from 19:00 BST on BBC Radio 5 Live

Got a question about Villa? Get in touch here and we'll seek answers from our experts

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

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Unai Emery will be typically calm ahead of the biggest game of his Aston Villa reign.

The head coach will deflect or dismiss any concerns about their recent form, reiterating Villa are in a Europa League semi-final for the first time under him.

They go into Thursday's second leg against Nottingham Forest trailing 1-0 from last week's first leg at the City Ground.

When Emery faces the media on Wednesday afternoon he will, rightly, point to their successes this season, having been in the title race as recently as February and the faith he has in the squad.

Yet Sunday's wretched 2-1 defeat to Tottenham has added to the anxiety on the terraces after Emery made seven changes and kept the majority of his first choice team fit to face Forest.

Opposite number Vitor Pereira made eight changes and his second string Forest won 3-1 at Chelsea to extend their unbeaten run to 10 games, their best streak in 10 years.

Villa have lost their two previous semi-finals, to Olympiacos in the Europa Conference League two years ago and last season's FA Cup semi to Crystal Palace, under Emery.

That record and their recent form of three straight defeats will ensure a nervy atmosphere at Villa Park if the hosts fail to take control early.

Real Madrid have Aston Villa boss Unai Emery on the shortlist to be their new manager, but he is under contract at Villa Park until summer 2029. (Talksport, external)

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We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Aston Villa and Tottenham.

Here are some of your comments:

Aston Villa fans

Tony: For all the excitement Villa fans have had over the last few years, we are always expecting some sort of trophy but always fall short. Most fans seem to think that qualifying for the Champions League is the most important thing, it really isn't. If the money from qualifying is more important than winning a trophy, then what on earth is the point of it all?

Alex: Poor performance and I have to admit it's looking like there are few wins left this season on this form. Forest are doing well and therefore the Europa final may be a step too far, but fingers crossed. Three points should get us across the line, and hopefully we can get it against Burnley, although there's no easy games as they say. The Champions League is so crucial - it all falls apart without that and Unai Emery's big players are likely to go, so it's high stakes. How we've missed those big midfielders at crucial points in the season.

Palma: The most uninspiring, lacklustre and embarrassing display I've seen in a while. How Emery didn't make at least three substitutions at half-time was more baffling than his starting 11.

Paul: Villa have not been playing well for weeks now, and I am really concerned about this coming Thursday's match against Forest. I think we need a major improvement, otherwise we won't even make the top six.

Tottenham fans

Stephen: Night and day contrast from what we've been forced to watch since September. We have to carry it straight through against Leeds though and break our home curse. That's the next step to redemption.

Stan: If only we had got De Zerbi earlier, Spurs wouldn't be in this mess. Arguably our best performance of the season, immense work rate by all players - especially Conor Gallagher - and so pleasing he got his first Spurs goal. The team played with a structure and purpose and a desire to win. De Zerbi has installed a confidence back in this squad that has been so lacking and now Spurs supporters can look forward to our next home game with a positive outlook.

John: The manager seems to have instilled a level of confidence which has been lacking all season.

Bill: This is the best I've felt since that night against Ajax - everybody took responsibility, fewer got injured and nobody gave up. Thanks, Spurs.

Coventry City boss Frank Lampard wants Ross Barkley to be his first signing of the summer, with the midfielder out of contract at Aston Villa at the end of the season. (Alan Nixon, via Give Me Sport, external)

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Pundits Micah Richards and Alan Shearer join host Kelly Cates to bring you the action and talking points from Sunday's Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Bournemouth 3-0 Crystal Palace

• Manchester United 3-2 Liverpool

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "Today we faced a team that played fantastically and they competed fantastically. They needed the points, and they fought to get it.

"In the first half we didn't perform well. In the second half, we reacted, but it was not enough. In 35 games, things are very good, and we have the advantage to still be in the top five, but we must continue to be demanding.

"Maybe the points [for Champions League qualification] are not enough, and we must try to recover our form and do the things we were doing - there are still three matches to go. They [Tottenham] played fantastic, they pressed, they won duels, and we were not dominant in individual duels, and they beat us."

On making seven changes: "Last week we lost against Fulham and which players played against Fulham? We played against Nottingham Forest and we lost. Today we lost with different players."

On Thursday's Europa League semi-final second leg: "It's a different match, a different competition. We're in the semi-finals and, of course, we are going to enjoy the match and enjoy the process. To play in the semi-final of the Europa League is fantastic. I don't play one match like this in three years here.

"The supporters forget we are having a fantastic season, and we are on the same points as Liverpool on 58."

Did you know?

• Aston Villa have lost four of their last eight home Premier League matches (W3 D1), only one fewer than they did across their previous 55 at Villa Park combined (W38 D12 L5).

• Across 138 halves of Premier League football at Villa Park under Unai Emery, the first half of this game was Aston Villa's fewest touches in the opposition box (1) and one of only two times they failed to have a single shot.

Phil McNulty
Chief football writer

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has barely put a foot wrong in his four-year spell at the club - but this was a starting line-up that took his team's eye off the ball in pursuit of a Champions League place.

He chose to make those seven changes from the side that lost 1-0 at Nottingham Forest in their Europa League last-four tie, with thoughts clearly fixed on overturning that deficit in the home second leg.

Emery may feel the wisdom of his decision will only be fully measured by Thursday's outcome, but this was a team selection that gave Spurs huge encouragement and would have been greeted by sinking hearts at West Ham and those still in the relegation mix.

And so it proved as Villa felt the fury of their own fans at half-time, with resounding boos as they trooped in two goals behind - and lucky to only trail by that margin after a lazy, lacklustre and insipid display.

Their second-half improvement was only slight, even after the belated introduction of striker Ollie Watkins for Tammy Abraham, although they still remain well placed to make the Champions League with a six-point advantage over sixth-placed Bournemouth and three games left.

All eyes will now be on that Forest meeting, where Emery needs a victory to maintain hopes of a first major trophy in 30 years - and justify the side he put out against Spurs.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Aston Villa's performance

What did you make of Tottenham's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Lindelof, Mings, Barkley, Tielemans, Abraham, Sancho, Maatsen, Bogarde, Rogers

Subs: Bizot, Konsa, Buendia, Watkins, Digne, Torres, Garcia, Douglas Luiz, Bailey

Tottenham XI: Kinsky, Danso, Palhinha, Richarlison, Tel, Udogie, Gallagher, Porro, Bentancur, Van de Ven, Kolo Muani

Subs: Austin, Dragusin, Bissouma, Maddison, Gray, Bergvall, Spence, Sarr, Souza

There are three games in the Premier League on Sunday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Bournemouth v Crystal Palace (14:00) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Manchester United v Liverpool (15:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Aston Villa v Tottenham (19:00)

Kick-off times BST

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Tottenham probably need to win three of their last four games to stay up but, although they finally won in 2026 when they beat Wolves last week, I am not sure it has given them any momentum.

It was a huge result for Roberto De Zerbi's side but you have to remember Wolves are woeful and Spurs also made hard work of their victory.

What helps Spurs here is that Aston Villa have their Europa League semi-final against Nottingham Forest to contend with over the next few days.

Even so, I still feel like Villa will be too good.

This defeat will send Spurs one step closer to the drop and a trip to play my old club Lincoln City in the Championship next season.

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Chris Adams
BBC Sport journalist

Two teams with vastly different objectives at the business end of the season will clash in the unusual Sunday evening slot (19:00 BST) when Aston Villa welcome Tottenham Hotspur to the West Midlands.

Villa, off the back of a 1-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest in the Europa League semi-final first leg on Thursday, are aiming to get back into the Champions League via their Premier League position, lest they fall short of winning the continent's second-tier club competition.

Presently, they are poised to do just that, sitting fifth, eight points clear of Brighton. There is a worry, however, that the Villans may have peaked too early when they won eight league games on the trot in November and December.

Unai Emery's side have won just two of their past seven in the league, losing four – as many defeats as they suffered in their previous 24 top-flight matches.

Ollie on the up

Leading scorer Ollie Watkins has six goals in his past seven matches, a welcome return to form after netting just three in 16 during a challenging start to 2026.

It is perhaps not a coincidence that his good run started after 20 March, when he wasn't named in Thomas Tuchel's England squad for that month's friendlies.

Indeed, he has scored goals in three previous Premier League games against sides managed by Roberto de Zerbi, including a hat-trick against Brighton in September 2023.

One place he has not scored from this season, however, is the penalty spot. Villa and, coincidentally, Spurs are the only two sides in the division not to have been awarded a spot-kick this term.

Roberto's rallying cry

Tottenham are aiming to secure back-to-back league wins for the first time since the opening eight days of the season.

Having ended their 16-game domestic winless streak with victory over relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers last week, De Zerbi's side must aim for the same again on Sunday.

Spurs are teetering on the brink. They sit 18th, two points adrift of West Ham United, and the prospect of Championship football is looming increasingly large unless they get their act together.

De Zerbi, appointed at the end of March, said before Saturday's win at Molineux: "This team is able to win five games in a row." It's a bold statement given the Lilywhites have won just eight of their 34 matches so far.

It is one down, four to go, if this injury-stricken Spurs squad is to meet the Italian coach's target. No team has ever been in the relegation zone with five matches of a Premier League season to play and won them all.

There are, however, 18 examples of such a team winning three of their last five games (and five instances of a team winning four games), which should give hope to those currently suffering in north London.

A point would be more useful to the hosts than the visitors, but recent history suggests honours are unlikely to finish even in this fixture. None of the past 21 league meetings between Villa (seven wins) and Spurs (14) have ended level.

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Former Aston Villa goalkeeper and European Cup winner Nigel Spink says Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson is a "lucky lad" that he was not sent off after a controversial tackle on Ollie Watkins during the first half of Thursday's 1-0 Europa League semi-final first leg defeat at the City Ground.

The midfielder's challenge on Watkins went unpunished but left his England team-mate in agony on the turf. Replays showed Anderson clattered into the Villa striker's ankle.

Unai Emery described the VAR as "so, so bad" for not getting involved.

"I'm not an advocate for the modern style of football and how it's refereed, but he was out of control, his foot was in the air and his studs were up," Spink told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast.

"Technically, it at least should have been a yellow and then I thought he could have got another yellow for an incident not long after that as well. He's a lucky lad that he stayed on the pitch, but you have to ride your luck and deal with these things."

Despite the first-leg defeat, Spink is backing Emery's team to provide an improved performance next week at Villa Park.

"Villa's season has been amazing," he added.

"They have done fantastically to be in the Champions League spots and doing so well in the Europa League. They can take full confidence into next week.

"With these big ties, you look back at defining moments and I think Emi Martinez's save will go down as keeping Villa in the competition if they can perform a little bit better in attack next Thursday. It wasn't quite as sharp as they can be."

Listen to the full chat from 08:17 on BBC Sounds