By Gabriel Mills
Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest shared famous Champions League successes in the 80’s and now meet for a place in the Europa League final, four decades later.
At Villa Park on Thursday night, a special atmosphere is guaranteed as each team’s season rests on this tie.
Forest made a huge step towards securing survival last week against Sunderland.
A 5-0 thrashing at the Stadium of Light means Villa are facing a tougher task than previously imagined.
In the league, Aston Villa look likely to finish in the Champions League places but will be aware of the huge opportunity to lift a trophy following a 30-year drought for the West Midlands giants.
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Contrasting league campaigns
On the face of it, this should be an almost routine victory for Unai Emery’s team.
Villa are fifth from the top while Forest are fifth from bottom, having spent the majority of the season fighting to keep above the relegation zone.
Despite a sluggish start to the campaign where the opening five matches saw three draws and two losses, Villa have maintained a scintillating level throughout the season in both league and Europe since then.
Before falling to a 4-1 defeat at the Emirates in December, Aston Villa had won 12 out of 13 in the league with quiet murmurs of a title challenge from one of two of a Villa persuasion.
With 12 goals and nine assists in all competitions, Morgan Rogers has enjoyed another standout season in claret and blue, spearheading an attack full of quality alongside the likes of Ollie Watkins, Tammy Abraham and Emiliano Buendia.
Villa have suffered a slight drop of form in patches since the turn of the year but built up enough distance from themselves and others that it would take a monumental capitulation to lose fifth spot now.
Forest on the other hand, have not enjoyed the season as much as many predicted after their seventh-placed finish last season.
Since dropping into the bottom five at the end of September, under various different managers, Forest have remained marooned between 19th and 16th ever since.
Under Nuno Espirito Santo, Ange Postecoglou and Sean Dyche, Forest failed to find any consistent rhythm and in the case of Postecoglou, failed to find a win at all.
Since the appointment of former Wolves boss, Vitor Pereira, Nottingham Forest have taken huge strides towards survival by going six unbeaten in the league.
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Europe’s sleeping giants
Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest make up two of the six English teams to have won the Champions League (formally the European Cup).
Under Brian Clough, Nottingham Forest’s ‘Miracle Men’ defied expectations by winning back-to-back European Cups in 1979 and 1980.
They remain the only team in Europe with more European Cup wins (2) than domestic top division titles (1).
Forest have been absent from European competition since 1995/96 before Nuno’s side of last season enjoyed a fantastic campaign before a slight stumble in the final stages, falling from a top-five spot.
Two years after Clough’s second triumph, Villa won it themselves under Tony Barton.
A victory against the odds in the final against Bayern Munich solidified Villa as one of England’s most historic clubs while Forest’s back-to-back triumphs remains one of the great footballing stories.
Emery led Villa to a commendable Champions League campaign last season, losing out to the eventual winners PSG in admirable fashion in the quarter-final stage.
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Battle at Villa Park
This semi-final will be a fascinating watch between a club recently solidified in the upper echelons of the Premier League and one rejuvenated under new management.
Forest overcame Porto in the quarter-finals – arguably the toughest opponent in the competition behind their hosts tonight.
A well-fought 1-1 draw at the Dragão Arena meant Pereira’s side had a big chance at the City Ground to advance to the final four.
Despite a red card for Porto and a goal for Forest within the opening 12 minutes, Forest had to hold off plenty of pressure from the visitors.
Villa had a more routine quarter-final tie against Bologna, winning 7-1 over the two matches.
A statement victory for the Villains and performances they will hope to recreate against tonight’s visitors.
With a home record as good as Villa’s, Forest will need to make sure they return to Nottingham next week with the tie still alive.
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