Aston Villa vs. Nottingham Forest – In a „Rash" for the Champions League

The Premier League is heading towards the finish line. Aston Villa earned a crucial victory against Nottingham Forest (2-1) on April 5, 2025, giving them a good chance in the Champions League race. "The Villans" from Birmingham and "The Tricky Trees" from Nottingham are both surprising teams this season. They still have great potential to achieve something big. 

"Good evening" – This cheerful greeting from Villa coach Unai Emery, which the Spaniard uses with his charming English at any time of day, was meant for the match of the week, Aston Villa vs. Nottingham Forest.

Bright spring weather in Birmingham and a big point for more Champions League trips next season. Aston Villa has closed the gap to fourth place and Chelsea FC, now just two points behind.

"The Villans" seemingly can’t get enough of the Champions League. Their debut is already a milestone in the history of English teams in the "King's Cup." 

"A very important win"

They handed Bayern Munich their first season loss in the group stage (1-0), defeated Club Brugge 6-1 on aggregate in the round of 16, and now face Paris Saint-Germain in the quarterfinals.

"The games against Paris," explained Unai Emery after the Premier League clash with Nottingham, "will be completely different from the match against Nottingham. That was a very important win for us because we had to rotate and manage the players we have."

Mocked at Manchester United, now a hero again: Marcus Rashford

Since February 2025, one of the players who has joined Villa is Marcus Rashford, who had been mocked by Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim ("I'd rather play the 63-year-old goalkeeper coach than him").

"Rash" has earned his place back in the English national team with three goal contributions from seven Premier League games at Aston Villa.

"Coming to us in the winter was a big challenge for him," said Emery after the 3-0 win at Brighton & Hove Albion, where the Englishman scored his first PL goal for Aston Villa. "He has improved and gained more confidence, he has understood our requirements, and his quality and experience are very important for our team."

Rashford also led Aston Villa to the FA Cup semifinals with two goals on March 30, 2025, against Preston North End.

Nottingham Forest can also still win the FA Cup. 

Back to Villa. The Dutchman Donyell Malen, who joined Villa from Borussia Dortmund, has also made the right move with his winter transfer.

The winger scored after 15 minutes against Nottingham Forest, assisted by former Dortmund loan player Ian Maatsen, to make it 2-0. It was his second Premier League goal. 

Football trips Aston Villa: Stars at Trinity Road 

The 1-0 for the team from Trinity Road came from Morgan Rogers (13') after an assist by Youri Tielemans (13').

Jota Silva (57') made it 2-1 for Forest, bringing the match back into contention. 

Aston Villa's top scorer Ollie Watkins (13 goals in 31 PL games) failed to score against Nottingham. He is definitely one of the winners in this memorable season for "Villa," as is Ezri Konsa, who was called up by the new England manager Thomas Tuchel in March 2025 for the two World Cup qualifying matches against Albania (2-0) and Latvia (3-0).

And when we talk about the Premier League as the league with the best players, we can't ignore him: World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. 

The Argentine kept five clean sheets in ten Champions League games. In the Premier League, he did so only four times, but his body language, incredible reflexes, and sometimes intimidating theatrics make him an exceptional presence among current Premier League goalkeepers.

Which opponents will Aston Villa still face at home in the Premier League 2024/2025?

Aston Villa hosts Newcastle United on April 19, 2025, at home, faces Fulham FC on May 3, 2025, and will play their last home match of the season on May 18, 2025 (matchday 37) against Tottenham Hotspur.

Where do Aston Villa and Nottingham play in the FA Cup?

Aston Villa will play in the first FA Cup semifinal on April 26, 2025 (6:15 PM) at Wembley Stadium, nominally as the away team, against London rivals Crystal Palace.

Nottingham Forest plays on April 27, 2025 (5:30 PM) at Wembley against Manchester City for a place in the final.