Preview: Nottingham Forest vs Porto at 02:00 on April 17, Europa League Quarter-Final Second Leg

Preview: Nottingham Forest vs Porto (02:00, April 17). Predicted result, expected lineups, expert analysis for the Nottingham Forest vs Porto match in the 2025/26 Europa League quarter-final second leg.

Preview: Nottingham Forest vs Porto

Nottingham Forest is crafting a compelling story in this season's Europa League. Despite battling fiercely to avoid relegation in the Premier League, Nuno Espirito Santo's squad has displayed a completely different face on the continental stage. Their courageous 1-1 draw in Portugal in the first leg has opened the door to the semi-finals for the City Ground hosts.

History favors Nottingham, as they previously defeated Porto 2-0 at home during the group stage. Although their home form in recent knockout rounds hasn't been ideal (losing both matches), Nottingham's resilience against Porto is undeniable. With key players returning and the support of their passionate home crowd, Nottingham is poised to create a new historic milestone.

On Porto's side, Francesco Farioli's team is enjoying an extremely stable season. They lead the Portuguese league by 5 points and boast an 8-match unbeaten streak across all competitions. In the first leg, Porto dominated the game with 16 shots, but a lack of sharpness in finishing forced them to settle for a draw.

The biggest challenge for "The Dragons" is their poor record against English teams in the Europa League. Porto has not won in their last five encounters with Premier League sides in this competition, including one draw and one loss against Nottingham this season. Despite possessing a quality squad and extensive continental experience, Porto will undoubtedly face a stormy trip to England if they cannot improve their scoring efficiency.

Squad Status: Nottingham Forest vs Porto

Nottingham Forest: Still missing Jair Cunha, Nicolo Savona, Willy Boly, and John Victor due to injuries. However, the hosts welcome the crucial return of midfielder Elliot Anderson after suspension. Goalkeeper Stefan Ortega is expected to start instead of Matz Sels for this match.

Porto: The visitors travel to England without key striker Luuk de Jong, along with Martim Fernandes, Samu Aghehowa, and Nehuen Perez due to various injuries. Coach Farioli is likely to keep the same framework that dominated the first leg, hoping to maintain pressure on the opponent's defense.

Expected Lineups: Nottingham Forest vs Porto

Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1): Ortega; Aina, Murillo, Milenkovic, Williams; Sangare, Anderson; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus.

Porto (4-3-3): D Costa; A Costa, Silva, Bednarek, Sanusi; Fofana, Rosario, Veiga; Gomes, Moffi, Sainz.

Head-to-Head History and Form: Nottingham Forest vs Porto

Nottingham Forest's Form

12/04/26: Nottingham 1-1 Aston Villa (Premier League)

10/04/26: Porto 1-1 Nottingham (Europa League)

22/03/26: Tottenham 0-3 Nottingham (Premier League)

20/03/26: Midtjylland 1-2 Nottingham (Europa League)

15/03/26: Nottingham 0-0 Fulham (Premier League)

Porto's Form

13/04/26: Estoril 1-3 Porto (Portuguese League)

10/04/26: Porto 1-1 Nottingham (Europa League)

05/04/26: Porto 2-2 Famalicao (Portuguese League)

23/03/26: Braga 1-2 Porto (Portuguese League)

20/03/26: Porto 2-0 Stuttgart (Europa League)

Head-to-Head History: Nottingham Forest vs Porto

10/04/26: Porto 1-1 Nottingham (Europa League)

24/10/25: Nottingham 2-0 Porto (Europa League)

Predicted Result: Nottingham Forest vs Porto

Although Porto has more stable form overall, Nottingham Forest has proven to be Porto's nemesis this season. With the advantage of playing at City Ground and the return of conductor Elliot Anderson, Nottingham is capable of exploiting gaps in counter-attacks to finish their opponent. A narrow victory for the English side is a highly plausible scenario.

Predicted Score: Nottingham Forest 2-1 Porto (Nottingham wins 3-2 overall)