- Nottingham Forest have a mixed recent record across competitions, with a 3-0 away win over Fenerbahçe but narrow Premier League defeats and a 2-2 draw at Manchester City.
- FC Midtjylland have been in strong form in recent league and Europa League fixtures, including wins over Dinamo Zagreb and OB.
- Both teams have scored in recent matches.
Tough, tense tussle anticipated at the City Ground
Midtjylland’s reputation as an expansion team was earned by their stunning 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground in their only previous competitive meeting of the season in the UEFA Europa League this season.
The Danes will arrive in the East Midlands with that mental advantage on Thursday for the first leg of this round-of-16 clash and plenty of form to back up their status as underdogs.
Forest are not in the best of form and are clinging to the Premier League by their fingertips, with their priorities set to sway towards survival in the top flight over their UEFA Europa League 2025-26 campaign.
Vítor Pereira’s impact since taking over in February has been to create a pragmatic, organised football team that can sit deep and counterattack with speed and precision.
His side’s best football has been produced in this manner, although the lack of consistency is a problem that Pereira has not yet solved.
A lack of squad depth because of injuries and rotation during the busiest portion of the campaign has also been a factor amid their 3-0 away win over Fenerbahçe and narrow Premier League defeats.
But they fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at Manchester City on Saturday thanks to some brilliant play from Igor Jesus and Morgan Gibbs-White, both of whom could feature again.
Wolf Pack are well equipped to handle big-game situations
The returning winger adds width and a directness that Forest have missed, but Gibbs-White is the heartbeat of the side, as he proved with his equaliser at the Etihad.
Igor Jesus remains Forest’s danger man and Forest’s Europa League top scorer, but the equaliser at Man City came via Gibbs-White’s creative brilliance.
Midtjylland have maintained their lofty position in the Danish Superliga throughout the season.
They have also been strong in the Europa League.
Tactically, coach Mike Tullberg’s impact has been very noticeable since he took over. He has a very hands-on role in setting up his team to press high and create overloads in wide areas and fast transitions.
His team have won key matches against Dinamo Zagreb and OB with some flair and clinical finishes, but also through set piece goals and hard work.
Júnior Brumado is the danger man up front, but Philip Billing and Aral Şimşir also bring physicality, creativity and set-piece threat to the midfield. Forest may have the home advantage, but this is not a game for the faint-hearted.
