Overview
- Nottingham Forest lost 4-0 to Aston Villa on Thursday in the Europa League semi-final second leg, falling 4-1 on aggregate as Villa advanced to the final in Istanbul to face Freiburg.
- Morgan Gibbs-White suffered a cut to the head in a clash with Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez on Monday, received stitches, was listed on the bench at Villa Park, and was not fit to play.
- Vitor Pereira said he does not know if Gibbs-White or several other injured regulars will play again this season, naming doubts over Ola Aina, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Murillo.
- Forest’s absences were extensive against Villa, with Murillo, Hudson-Odoi, Ibrahim Sangare and Aina all missing, which left the side short of threat and control in a tie that slipped away early.
- Gibbs-White’s standout season has increased interest from leading clubs, and coverage in England suggests Forest’s European exit could complicate efforts to keep core players such as Gibbs-White, Elliot Anderson and Murillo.