Nottinghamshire

Nottingham Forest defender Ola Aina expects Thursday's Europa League semi-final "to be a cracker" and a showcase of competitive English football.

Forest host Premier League rivals Aston Villa in the first leg of the semi-finals, where Villa are winless in the past four seasons.

"It's massive," said Aina to BBC Radio Nottingham. "It's two historic clubs in Europe with competitive teams so it's going to be a cracker.

"It's going to be a tough game for both sides, but one that we will relish.

"We definitely need to be on top form and have the fans behind us. Hopefully then, we can get the results that we want.

"We are unfortunate where we have been this season in the table and I think we have just been unlucky. It's undeniable that we have fantastic players here.

"I feel like we can match most teams we come up against and that's the confidence that I have in my teammates and what we're doing here.

"We have the formula, but sometimes on the day you need a bit of luck so hopefully there is some."

Also hear Aina's interview with BBC Radio Nottingham on BBC Sounds

And listen to BBC Radio Nottingham from 18:00 BST for all the build-up to the semi-final with Colin Fray, James Perch and Steve Hodge

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Vitor Pereira says he remembers Nottingham Forest "being one of the strongest teams in Europe" when he was growing up so to lead them into their fourth European semi-final is a special feeling.

"We have a chance to write our names into the history of this club," the Reds boss told BBC Radio Nottingham. "But I don't think about doing it for me.

"I think about our supporters because a lot of them don't really have the money to buy tickets, but they do it through sacrifice to come and support us.

"This is more to make them happy.

"I'm not at a stage of my career where I need titles to satisfy myself, but it is, of course, an honour to be here and get titles."

Pereira also acknowledged how for a whole generation this is the biggest night of the club's history as they face Aston Villa in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final.

"When I was a kid, I remember Forest being one of the strongest teams in Europe," he added. "It's important to go back in time and understand how big the club is."

He also said he takes inspiration from legendary former Forest boss Brian Clough, who won the European Cup twice with the club: "This week, I went into the city and saw a big statue of Brian Clough and he makes people feel proud."

Listen to Pereira's interview with BBC Radio Nottingham's Colin Fray on BBC Sounds or hit play below...

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Former Nottingham Forest striker Robert Earnshaw is expecting a "really interesting" Europa League semi-final between his old club and Aston Villa.

Despite a difficult season in which they have cycled through three permanent managers, Forest are unbeaten in six Premier League games and have moved five points clear of the relegation zone with four matches to play.

Villa have been plagued by inconsistency in recent months but are in a strong position to get a place in next season's Champions League through the Premier League table.

"The level at the bottom of the Premier League is very high right now and Forest show that," Earnshaw told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast.

"Last year they qualified for Europe and finished in the top seven but now they are fighting relegation and in the semi-finals of the Europa League.

"They are good enough and the quality of their players is good enough.

"Forest have hit form. In the last month they've been on fire. I think they will stay in the Premier League easily now, they've taken care of that. Now it's whether they can achieve history. If they beat Villa they are in the final of a European competition and that is so big for Forest.

"These two teams drew 1-1 not long ago in the league and you feel like between them it's always small little details in the game that changes things. That's how close they are.

"Villa will have an advantage because of Unai Emery's experience, but then you've got the unknown and nothing to lose attitude of Forest. It will be a really interesting tie.

"When you hit Europe everything is fresh. It's not the Premier League. There is pressure too for both teams in different ways."

Listen to the full chat from 08:20 on BBC Sounds

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Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

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Nottingham Forest landed the bargain of the season in Igor Jesus, according to former Botafogo boss Renato Paiva.

The striker is the Europa League's joint top goalscorer with seven going into Thursday's semi-final first leg against Aston Villa at the City Ground.

Forest paid Botafogo £10m for Jesus last summer and the 25-year-old has 15 goals.

Paiva said: "Pedro Ferreira [Forest's head of recruitment] worked with me at Benfica and he asked me about Igor and I said: 'Wow, my friend, he's an incredible player.'

"When we spoke about the price, I said: 'My god, this is very, very cheap.' Before the Club World Cup, even cheaper.

"He's a very complete player. The number nine I think all the coaches are searching for. He's the first guy that defends - you say to press and he presses, you say to close the spaces and he close spaces. He's a very clever guy and understands what the coaches want."

Forest struck a deal before the Club World Cup last year, with Jesus scoring in Botafogo's shock win over Paris St-Germain which Paiva masterminded, but his former manager believes it was an error from the Brazilians. The deal was eventually announced in July.

"It was a mistake to sell a player before the competition," said the former Benfica youth coach. "Strategically, it's an error. After the competition you probably will have better offers.

"But I understand sometimes this kind of business is defined by the timing."

Jesus has scored five in the Premier League this season, including two in his past two games - and Paiva believes Jesus could be key against top-flight rivals Villa.

"It's taken a little bit of time to adapt. The most curious thing, when you try to analyse since he arrived, are his numbers in the Premier League and his numbers in the Europa League," he said.

"Probably the Europa League is not so demanding as the Premier League.

"Against Aston Villa, it's a different environment. It's a very difficult game for Nottingham Forest and for Igor.

"Aston Villa are one of the best teams of the Premier League, with one of the best coaches in the world - but this is not the Premier League, it's the Europa League and Igor can surprise us with another very good performance."

Manchester United do not want to get into a bidding war for Nottingham Forest and England midfielder Elliot Anderson, 23, who is also a target for Manchester City, and could turn to other targets such as Brighton's Cameroon international Carlos Baleba. (ESPN, external)

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Nottingham Forest defender Ola Aina says Vitor Pereira's side are "relishing" the prospect of an all-Premier League Europa League semi-final against Aston Villa.

Forest host the West Midlands side in Thursday's first leg unbeaten in six in the Premier League and after taking a huge step towards survival with a big win at Sunderland on Friday.

"We're working hard every week. We're looking forward to a semi-final now," Aina told the media in Forest's pre-match news conference.

"The boss has done a great job but everyone has put in hard work. We're reaping the benefits of that.

"I don't really think there's that much pressure on us. We're all very proud to be in this semi-final.

"It's definitely a special feeling. It's a massive night for the club and the players. Everyone is relishing it.

"We're just focused on what we do. It doesn't matter about other results [in the Premier League]. We have our objectives."

Aina was out from the beginning of September to the end of December with a hamstring injury, only returning for the final two games of the league phase of the Europa League.

He missed 16 Premier League games but has started all 15 matches since returning to the fold.

"When I came back I found my feet game after game. I'm back now and looking forward to tomorrow," he added.

"I was buzzing that the team got through the league phase so I could be part of it and add my contribution."

Aina answered questions alongside his manager Pereira, who joked that the right-back did not need to say nice things about him and would start on Thursday regardless.

On Pereira, who took over from Sean Dyche in February, Aina added: "He's brought his ideas in and they resonated with us. He has a clear vision. Everyone has bought into that."

Nottingham Forest boss Vitor Pereira has been speaking to the media before Thursday's Europa League semi-final first leg against Aston Villa at The City Ground (20:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Pereira confirmed defender Murillo will not be fit to face Villa: "He's trying to come back as soon as possible but he's not ready now. I don't believe it will be long, maybe he can be back in a few days, we will see."

• He added the medical team was "working hard" on Jair Cunha but they "don't know" if he will be fit and he was also asked for a fitness update on Dan Ndoye and Ibrahima Sangare: "It's normal to have some issues at this time of the season. We'll see tomorrow, they are trying to be ready."

• On the mood within the camp: "I think being positive is the only way to live life. We are moving our legs, we are breathing, it's good weather. The family is happy. We are ready to fight until the end, which is the only mentality I want to see."

• Looking ahead to a European semi-final, Pereira said: "It will be good energy. What I ask every time in training and in games is for good energy. With good vibes we can achieve miracles, and in the end, we can be proud of ourselves."

• Pereira made a point of paying tribute to Nuno Espirito Santo, who qualified Forest for the Europa League and began their journey, and Ange Postecoglou and Sean Dyche who both picked up points in the competition while in charge: "First of all, I need to speak about the managers before me who played in the Europa League, who helped get to this moment. This is not about me, it's about the club."

• He was asked about taking inspiration from legendary former Forest boss Brian Clough, who won the European Cup twice with the club: "If we want to put our names in the history of this club we need to get to the final and win it. Of course he is an inspiration for us. Tomorrow is a big chance for our supporters and for us to reach a final. We will do everything we can to move forward."

• More on Clough: "He's a strong character, not just a top player and manager. This week I went into the city and saw a big statue of him. I'm not thinking about a statue, but we can imagine what he did for this city, because it stays in the city and the hearts of the people until now."

• Pereira offered perspective when looking at the task facing his team: "Almost all of us have a fantastic life. When we say it's a big challenge, of course it is, but it's a good challenge. For some people, it is a challenge to move. This is a good challenge. I work in the Premier League. I have no reason to be worried, I just want to be there, enjoy it and compete."

Listen to live commentary of Forest v Villa on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

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