Nottingham Forest heads to Denmark on Thursday night, facing a critical challenge as they aim to recover from a one-goal loss against FC Midtjylland in the first leg.
The team arrives at the MCH Arena after a disappointing 0–0 draw with Fulham in the Premier League, which showcased concerns about their ability to finish chances. In the first leg, they had 22 shots but were defeated by a late goal from Gue-sung Cho.
However, history offers some hope: Forest has successfully turned around a similar situation before, famously coming back from a 1–0 home loss to Berliner FC Dynamo while winning the 1979–80 European Cup. Recently, they have been effective in away matches, scoring nine goals in their last five away games.
FC Midtjylland, on the other hand, aims to make history by reaching the quarter-finals of a major European competition for the first time. Mike Tullberg’s team has consistently capitalized on late opportunities against Forest this season.
Despite suffering a last-minute loss to FC Nordsjælland in the Danish Superliga over the weekend, Midtjylland’s home form in Europe has been strong. They have won their last four European home matches, relying on a solid defense to counter Forest’s struggling attack.
FC Midtjylland vs Nottingham Forest – Match Preview and Team News
- Date: Thursday, 19 March 2026
- Kick-off: 17:45 GMT
- Venue: MCH Arena, Herning
- Referee: Felix Zwayer
- VAR: Robert Schröder
- Last Meeting: Nottingham Forest 0–1 FC Midtjylland (12 March 2026, UEL)
Team News
FC Midtjylland
Midtjylland will be without top scorer Franculino, who is out with a knee injury. Dario Osorio returns from suspension and will compete for a starting position with Kevin Mbabu. Gue-sung Cho, who scored in the first leg, is in contention to start upfront, and former Bournemouth midfielder Philip Billing is expected to lead the midfield.
Nottingham Forest
Vítor Pereira faces a long injury list, including Jair Cunha (foot) and Stefan Ortega (calf), alongside several players out with knee issues. Igor Jesus, with four away goals in the Europa League this season, remains a key attacking threat, although he hasn’t scored against Midtjylland in nine attempts. Morgan Gibbs-White is likely to take an advanced role in the lineup.
Form
FC Midtjylland
FC Midtjylland enters the match with seven wins in their last nine Europa League games, looking to bounce back from a domestic setback against FC Nordsjælland. At home, they have been strong, winning their last four European matches and successfully finding the net in critical moments against Forest in both encounters this season.
Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest’s form has been lackluster lately, as they haven’t won in six matches across competitions since their draw against Fulham. They have struggled to convert chances into goals, netting only once in their last five home matches despite having 99 shots. However, their recent away form has been encouraging, winning two of their last three Europa League matches and averaging nearly two goals per game on the road.
Predicted Lineups
FC Midtjylland Predicted XI (3-5-2): Olafsson; Erlic, Bech Sorensen, Diao; Osorio, Billing, Bravo, Castillo, Bak; Simsir, Brumado
Nottingham Forest Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Sangare, Anderson; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus
How to Watch FC Midtjylland vs Nottingham Forest?
The match will be broadcast live in the UK on TNT Sports 2, starting at 17:00 GMT before the 17:45 kick-off.
Read more – How seven Premier League teams could qualify for next season’s Champions League
| Instagram | Twitter | YouTube
Add Footem.in As your Preferred Source on Google
Follow the latest on Footem WhatsApp Channel
