11 min: From me old mate, Will Unwin.
The billowing blue flare smoke is providing the aroma around Villa Park. The home players were welcomed with a raucous atmosphere and once the first whistle blows, intensity will increase. There are reminders all around of the 1982 European Cup triumph and the club is eager to reach another continental final. Sunday’s defeat to Tottenham drew criticism from many Villa supporters, but that will soon be forgotten if they equalize early on.
For Forest, the aim is to keep things quiet for as long as possible to increase tension. Without Morgan Gibbs-White in the starting lineup, it will be interesting to observe how James McAtee performs in his place on the left. McAtee has a similar style to the club captain but has yet to make a significant impact in Nottingham. If he excels tonight, he will become an instant legend.
10 min: Close, closest so far.
McAtee, standing in for Gibbs-White, delivers a fine pass and Hutchinson smashes just wide. The shot was powerful and likely beyond Dibu Martinez’s reach.
8 min: Paedar de Burca gets in touch:
“I’m not a fan of either team but I’m from Galway and one of our city’s great football heroes was Eamon “Chick” Deacy, Villa’s supersub back when they were champions of England and Europe in 81/82. There isn’t a footie fan in Galway who doesn’t think of Chick when Villa has a big night. Sadly, he left this world in 2012, aged 53, still playing for his local team West United, scalping the shins off fellas half his age. A true gent who worked in his brother’s fruit and veg shop and got embarrassed if anyone brought up the part he played in knocking the mighty Liverpool team off their perch.”
Villa used what, 14 players all season in 1980-81?
7 min:
Boos whenever the Forest players gain possession. Jeers whenever they lose it. These end of season games really do get lifted by the fans. It’s been a long winter. Now to let it all out.
5 min:
It’s raucous, it’s ragged. Huge cheers when a tackle flies in.
In the other semi-final, between Braga and Freiburg, the Portuguese team have had a man sent off; Mario Dorgeles. Braga are leading that tie 2-1 at present.
4 min:
Villa have a free-kick, right of the box. McGinn floats one and Konsa is so close to getting a touch. Jair Cunha, emergency right-back, had a hold, but not enough of a hold.
3 min:
Some high pressing from Forest almost forces a chance for Igor Jesus. So, where is Lindelof playing? It’s as a holding midfielder, meaning it’s four at the back for Villa.
2 min:
Neco Williams has to come across to stop Ollie Watkins. On the sideline, Unai Emery is pensive, not quite in jack-in-the-box mode.
## Away we go at Villa Park
1 min:
Huge noise as they kick off. Villa take possession and go on the attack, the crowd grows louder as McGinn sets off on a run. Goal kick to Forest.
There’s a tifo, too, which appears to be a composite of Unai Emery and his men in a heart, with a lion’s face. Evocative. Better than Bayern’s or Arsenal’s?
Jeff Beck is playing at Villa Park. Very popular in the West Midlands was "Hi Ho Silver Lining"; Rod Stewart on backing vocals, John Paul Jones on bass. Anyway, let’s rock. Captains John McGinn and Chris Wood lead out their teams.
It’s noisy at Villa Park, very noisy. The team bus received the now customary pyro welcome. Villa fans have enjoyed their club being back in Europe over the last two seasons.
Emery on Lindelof:
“Lindelof is not a goalkeeper.”Helpful, we’re soon to find out.
We’re still uncertain where Lindelof will play. Unai Emery was curt with TNT:
“McGinn, he is important like every player, he is the captain, his connection with the supporters is massive. We must get our best collectively and best individually, John McGinn is very important in this message.”
More from Pereira:
“Enjoy the game, compete first minute to last minute, be brave, to try to force our game and in the end we will see. He [Gibbs-White] is here to help us, we will see what happens in the game. They need to be ready, this is a moment of the season we need to help the team, I have confidence in everyone, we can change the players but we keep the spirit. In our mind we come here to compete to win the game.”
Vitor Pereira spoke to TNT about Morgan Gibbs-White:
“He’s here to help us. We will see. We will see what happens in the game.”
Is Victor Lindelof to play in a back three or midfield for Villa? John McGinn and Emi Buendia come in with Ollie Watkins and Lucas Digne.
Elliot Anderson returns to the Forest starting lineup as one of eight changes from the team that defeated Chelsea.
The major team news is Morgan Gibbs-White starting on the Forest bench after suffering a severe cut at Stamford Bridge that required 11 stitches.
Team lineups:
Aston Villa: Martinez, Lindelof, Konsa, Torres, Cash, McGinn, Buendia, Tielemans, Digne, Watkins, Rogers.
Subs: Bizot, Wright, Mings, Elliott, Garcia, Abraham, Sancho, Douglas Luiz, Maatsen, Bogarde, Bailey.
Nottingham Forest: Ortega, Jair Cunha, Milenkovic, Morato, Williams, Hutchinson, Dominguez, Anderson, McAtee, Igor Jesus, Wood.
Subs: Sels, Willows, Murillo, Sangare, Gibbs-White, Ndoye, Lucca, Yates, Bakwa, Whitehall, Sinclair, Hanks.
Will Unwin on Vitor Pereira, fourth time lucky for Forest.
Dyche did what he had to, settling things down after a tumultuous start to the season, whereas Pereira wanted to offer greater freedom. Forest are the highest scorers in the league since his arrival, with 19 in nine matches, and have the third-best defence and would sit sixth over the period, according to Goalpoint. Under Pereira, Forest have scored 8.02 goals above xG, arguably a result of the increase in confidence and risk-taking.
Last time out in the Premier League:
Nottingham Forest hold a narrow advantage. Can Aston Villa overturn it? Their form last week at the City Ground, and in losing to Tottenham last Sunday, has declined. Just at the wrong time? We are about to find out. Forest meanwhile have surged into form, and statisticians note they are significantly outperforming their xG. Though wasn’t that previously said about Villa? By midnight – hopefully not that late – we will know who will be heading to Istanbul for the final.
