{"id":46859,"date":"2026-05-07T07:42:32","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T11:42:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/05\/07\/star-players-to-miss-europa-league-clash-as-aston-villa-thrash-nottingham-forest\/"},"modified":"2026-05-07T07:42:32","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T11:42:32","slug":"star-players-to-miss-europa-league-clash-as-aston-villa-thrash-nottingham-forest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/05\/07\/star-players-to-miss-europa-league-clash-as-aston-villa-thrash-nottingham-forest\/","title":{"rendered":"Star players to miss Europa League clash as Aston Villa thrash Nottingham Forest"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/05\/07\/star-players-to-miss-europa-league-clash-as-aston-villa-thrash-nottingham-forest\/#Villa_ready_for_important_European_night_as_Forest_hold_advantage\" >Villa ready for important European night as Forest hold advantage<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/05\/07\/star-players-to-miss-europa-league-clash-as-aston-villa-thrash-nottingham-forest\/#Paul_Merson_warns_Aston_Villa_of_Nottingham_Forests_trump_card_that_will_%E2%80%98tear_the_team_apart\" >Paul Merson warns Aston Villa of Nottingham Forest&#8217;s trump card that will &#8216;tear the team apart&#8217;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/05\/07\/star-players-to-miss-europa-league-clash-as-aston-villa-thrash-nottingham-forest\/#Aston_Villa_without_Amadou_Onana_for_match_against_Nottingham_Forest\" >Aston Villa without Amadou Onana for match against Nottingham Forest<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/05\/07\/star-players-to-miss-europa-league-clash-as-aston-villa-thrash-nottingham-forest\/#Ally_McCoist_hints_at_Aston_Villas_%E2%80%98disastrous_situation_after_Unai_Emery_and_Real_Madrid_update\" >Ally McCoist hints at Aston Villa&#8217;s &#8216;disastrous situation&#8217; after Unai Emery and Real Madrid update<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>Aston Villa will be without key players for the upcoming Europa League semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"villa-set-for-pivotal-european-night-as-forest-hold-advantage\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Villa_ready_for_important_European_night_as_Forest_hold_advantage\"><\/span>\n                        <strong>Villa ready for important European night as Forest hold advantage<\/strong><br \/>\n               <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Tonight marks a decisive moment in Villa&#8217;s season.<\/p>\n<p>A one-goal difference leaves Forest heading into the second leg of the Europa League semi-final at Villa Park, and Unai Emery&#8217;s side must overturn that lead if they are to maintain any chance of reaching their first European final since 1982.<\/p>\n<p>    Chris Wood&#8217;s penalty just after the hour mark at the City Ground gave Forest a 1-0 advantage from the first leg. This is a small but significant lead and means Villa need to either keep a clean sheet and score or win by at least two points on aggregate to force extra time.<\/p>\n<p>Forest, who have gone from being relegation candidates to reaching the European semi-finals thanks to an exceptional run of form under manager Vitor Pereira, arrive at Villa Park with only a draw to secure a place in Istanbul on May 21st.<\/p>\n<div class=\"display-card  article article-card small  no-badge  active-content                              \" data-include-community-rating=\"false\" id=\"nottingham-forest-paul-merson-aston-villa-europa-league\" data-nosnippet=\"\">\n<p>                        <\/p>\n<p>                    <span data-field=\"label\" class=\"article-card-label\"><label>related<\/label><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-content regular article-block\">\n<h5 class=\"display-card-title \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Paul_Merson_warns_Aston_Villa_of_Nottingham_Forests_trump_card_that_will_%E2%80%98tear_the_team_apart\"><\/span>\n<p>\t\t\tPaul Merson warns Aston Villa of Nottingham Forest&#8217;s trump card that will &#8216;tear the team apart&#8217;<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<p class=\"display-card-excerpt\">Sky experts say their opponents cannot cope.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Signing Villa is a daunting proposition, made even more difficult by the confirmation of Amadou Onana&#8217;s absence.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"aston-villa-without-amadou-onana-for-nottingham-forest-showdown\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Aston_Villa_without_Amadou_Onana_for_match_against_Nottingham_Forest\"><\/span>\n                        <strong>Aston Villa without Amadou Onana for match against Nottingham Forest<\/strong><br \/>\n               <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The Belgium international suffered a calf injury during the first leg and has not trained since, but Emery confirmed on Wednesday that the defensive midfielder was &#8220;obviously unavailable&#8221; for Thursday&#8217;s match.<\/p>\n<p>    No timetable for his return was given, with Emery once again missing out on the &#8220;very classy&#8221; and &#8220;underrated&#8221; midfielder.<\/p>\n<p>This is a separate issue to the muscle issue that ruled him out in defeat against Fulham earlier this month, and adds to concerns about the 24-year-old&#8217;s fitness.<\/p>\n<p>Villa have endured a difficult few weeks.<\/p>\n<p>Three defeats in their last three games across all competitions have dented their confidence, and Emery admitted in his pre-match press conference that injury and fatigue forced rotations had disrupted his team&#8217;s rhythm.<\/p>\n<p>There is at least one boost.<\/p>\n<p>    John McGinn is expected to return after missing Sunday&#8217;s game against Tottenham with a hamstring strain.<\/p>\n<p>The captain&#8217;s leadership and energy will be crucial for Villa to generate the intensity needed to reverse the draw.<\/p>\n<p>However, concerns remain about the situation in the midfield without Onana.<\/p>\n<p>Ross Barkley is ineligible as he is not included in Villa&#8217;s UEFA squad, while Boubacar Kamara remains sidelined. That leaves Lamarre Bogard and Douglas Luiz as the available options, but neither has been able to perform consistently in recent weeks.<\/p>\n<p>Emery appreciated the assessment of the challenges ahead.<\/p>\n<section class=\"emaki-custom-block emaki-custom-pullquote\" data-nosnippet=\"\">\n<div class=\"emaki-custom pullquote\" id=\"custom_block_23\">\n<div class=\"custom_block-content pullquote\">\n<p>\u201cNottingham Forest have the advantage and are favorites going into this game,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"custom_block-content pullquote\">\n<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a big achievement to get to the semi-finals. It&#8217;s very difficult to win a trophy. Even if you don&#8217;t win a trophy, it&#8217;s not a defeat.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>Ollie Watkins leads Villa&#8217;s Europa League this season with four goals, while Morgan Rodgers has been directly involved in five goals in six home appearances, underscoring how important the atmosphere at Villa Park and home advantage are for Emery&#8217;s side.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Forest star Igor Jesus has contributed five away goals this competition and leads the table for shots and shots on target, a reminder of the threat Forest have away from the City Ground.<\/p>\n<p>For Villa, this is more than just a game. This is your chance to write something historical.<\/p>\n<div class=\"display-card  article article-card small  no-badge  active-content                              \" data-include-community-rating=\"false\" id=\"ally-mccoist-aston-villa-unai-emery-real-madrid-update\" data-nosnippet=\"\">\n<p>                        <img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"440\" height=\"248\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Arai-McCoist-TNT-Sports\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/mixcollage-10-apr-2025-04-11-pm-1852.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=220&amp;h=124&amp;dpr=2\" bad-src=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/mixcollage-10-apr-2025-04-11-pm-1852.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=220&amp;h=124&amp;dpr=2\"\/><\/p>\n<p>                    <span data-field=\"label\" class=\"article-card-label\"><label>related<\/label><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-content regular article-block\">\n<h5 class=\"display-card-title \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ally_McCoist_hints_at_Aston_Villas_%E2%80%98disastrous_situation_after_Unai_Emery_and_Real_Madrid_update\"><\/span>\n<p>\t\t\tAlly McCoist hints at Aston Villa&#8217;s &#8216;disastrous situation&#8217; after Unai Emery and Real Madrid update<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<p class=\"display-card-excerpt\">The Spaniard is attracting a lot of interest from the Bernab\u00e9u.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Aston Villa will be without key players for the upcoming Europa League semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest. Villa ready for important European night as Forest hold advantage Tonight marks a decisive moment in Villa&#8217;s season. A one-goal difference leaves Forest heading into the second leg of the Europa League semi-final at Villa Park, and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":46860,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[390,891,108,40,615,97,614,881,86,9191,633],"class_list":{"0":"post-46859","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-football","8":"tag-aston","9":"tag-clash","10":"tag-europa","11":"tag-football","12":"tag-forest","13":"tag-league","14":"tag-nottingham","15":"tag-players","16":"tag-star","17":"tag-thrash","18":"tag-villa"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46859","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46859"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46859\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46860"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46859"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46859"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46859"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}