Porto vs Nottingham Forest Prediction 09.04.2026 | UEFA Europa League
Porto
Kick off:
Date:
Nottingham Forest
1
2.18
X
3.43
2
3.76
Contents
- Competition: UEFA Europa League - Quarter-Finals 1st Leg
- Date: Thursday, 9th, April 2026
- Kickoff: 20:00 UK / 21.00 CEST
- Venue: Estadio do Dragao (Porto)
Two storied clubs with rich European history lock horns at the Estadio do Dragao on Thursday night, as Porto host Nottingham Forest in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League quarter-final.
While the hosts are currently dominating the domestic scene in Portugal, the visitors arrive in the Algarve buoyed by a resurgence that has seen them transition from relegation scrappers to genuine continental contenders.
Porto vs Nottingham Forest Head to Head (H2H) stats
-
Nottingham Forest
2 : 0
Porto
Europa League
The two sides previously met earlier in the campaign during the league phase, where Forest secured a routine 2-0 victory on home soil.
Porto team overview
Porto head into this UEFA Europa League quarter-final tie in formidable domestic form, confidently closing in on a return to the Portuguese crown after a four-year wait, currently holding a healthy five-point cushion over their nearest challengers.
The Dragons have established themselves as a defensive juggernaut in Portuguese football this season, conceding a league-low tally of just 13 goals across 28 matches, a level of solidity that laid the foundation for their composed 2-0 victory over Stuttgart in the second leg of the previous UEL round.
Even more impressively, the Estadio do Dragao has reasserted its reputation as a fortress, with Porto unbeaten on home soil across all competitions since the turn of the calendar year (W7 D2), driven by an intense high-pressing system that continues to suffocate visiting sides.
However, head coach Francesco Farioli will be forced to navigate this contest without several key figures, as leading scorer Samu Aghehowa and experienced forward Luuk de Jong are both unavailable, while centre-back Nehuen Perez remains sidelined through injury.
Last matches of Porto
-
Porto
2 : 2
Famalicao
Liga Portugal
-
Braga
1 : 2
Porto
Liga Portugal
-
Porto
2 : 0
Stuttgart
Europa League
-
Porto
3 : 0
Moreirense
Liga Portugal
-
Stuttgart
1 : 2
Porto
Europa League
Porto lineup
Goalkeeper
-
99
Diogo Costa
Defenders
-
12
Zaidu Sanusi
-
4
Jakub Kiwior
-
5
Jan Bednarek
-
20
Alberto Costa
Midfielders
-
42
Seko Fofana
-
22
Alan Varela
-
8
Victor Froholdt
Forwards
-
17
Borja Sainz
-
29
Terem Moffi
-
7
William Gomes
Nottingham Forest team overview
In the meantime, Nottingham Forest arrive in Portugal as arguably the Europa League’s most compelling dark horse, attempting to balance a precarious 16th-place standing in the Premier League with a continental journey that has reignited belief among the City Ground faithful.
Under the astute guidance of Vitor Pereira—who now prepares for an emotional reunion against his former employers—the Tricky Trees have cultivated a resilient tournament identity, underlined by their dramatic penalty shootout triumph over Midtjylland to secure a historic place in the quarter-finals.
The English outfit head to the Estadio do Dragão buoyed by a stunning 3-0 dismantling of Tottenham Hotspur prior to the international break, a performance that showcased the ruthless efficiency of their counter-attacking system, spearheaded by joint-leading scorer Igor Jesus, who has already netted seven times in Europe this term.
However, Forest must navigate this crucial first leg with a growing list of absentees, as Jair Cunha, Willy Boly, Nicolò Savona and first-choice goalkeeper John Victor remain sidelined through injury, while influential midfielder Elliot Anderson is set to miss out due to suspension.
Last matches of Nottingham Forest
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Tottenham Hotspur
0 : 3
Nottingham Forest
Premier League
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Midtjylland
0 : 3
Nottingham Forest
Europa League
-
Nottingham Forest
0 : 0
Fulham
Premier League
-
Nottingham Forest
0 : 1
Midtjylland
Europa League
-
Manchester City
2 : 2
Nottingham Forest
Premier League
Nottingham Forest lineup
Goalkeeper
-
26
Matz Sels
Defenders
-
25
Luca Netz
-
5
Murillo
-
31
Nikola Milenković
-
3
Neco Williams
Midfielders
-
16
Nicolás Domínguez
-
6
Ibrahim Sangaré
-
7
Callum Hudson-Odoi
-
10
Morgan Gibbs-White
-
14
Dan Ndoye
Forwards
-
19
Igor Jesus
Prediction
While Nottingham Forest have already proven they possess the tactical blueprint to stifle the "Dragons" following their clinical victory in the league phase, breaching the Estadio do Dragão in a high-stakes knockout setting remains one of the most daunting assignments in European football.
Francesco Farioli’s Porto are currently operating with the defensive machine-like precision of a side destined for continental silverware, and despite the Tricky Trees" prowess on the counter-attack through the prolific Igor Jesus, the hosts' superior technical synergy in the engine room should allow them to dictate the tempo for large periods.
Ultimately, we expect a fascinating tactical chess match where Porto’s relentless high-press eventually tip the scales, securing a narrow first-leg advantage for the Portuguese giants while leaving the tie tantalisingly poised for the return fixture at the City Ground.
Reasons
- Porto have recorded seven wins in their last nine home matches in 2026.
- Porto have scored 2+ goals in six consecutive matches across all competitions.
- Nottingham Forest have suffered defeats in half of their last eight away outings in all formats.
Main prediction Porto - Nottingham Forest
Porto to win
Best Odds:
22bet
2.18
Porto vs Nottingham Forest standings in Europa League
| League Stage | P | W | D | L |
G - A
|
GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Olympique Lyonnais | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 18 - 5 | +13 | 21 |
| 2 | Aston Villa | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 14 - 6 | +8 | 21 |
| 3 | FC Midtjylland | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 18 - 8 | +10 | 19 |
| 4 | Real Betis | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 13 - 7 | +6 | 17 |
| 5 | Porto | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 13 - 7 | +6 | 17 |
| 6 | Sporting Braga | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 11 - 5 | +6 | 17 |
| 7 | SC Freiburg | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 10 - 4 | +6 | 17 |
| 8 | Roma | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 13 - 6 | +7 | 16 |
| 9 | Genk | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 11 - 7 | +4 | 16 |
| 10 | Bologna | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 14 - 7 | +7 | 15 |
| 11 | VfB Stuttgart | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 15 - 9 | +6 | 15 |
| 12 | Ferencvárosi | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 12 - 11 | +1 | 15 |
| 13 | Nottingham Forest | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 15 - 7 | +8 | 14 |
| 14 | Viktoria Plzeň | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 8 - 3 | +5 | 14 |
| 15 | Crvena Zvezda | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 7 - 6 | +1 | 14 |
| 16 | Celta de Vigo | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 15 - 11 | +4 | 13 |
| 17 | PAOK | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 17 - 14 | +3 | 12 |
| 18 | LOSC Lille | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 12 - 9 | +3 | 12 |
| 19 | Fenerbahçe | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 10 - 7 | +3 | 12 |
| 20 | Panathinaikos | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 11 - 9 | +2 | 12 |
| 21 | Celtic | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 13 - 15 | -2 | 11 |
| 22 | Ludogorets | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 12 - 15 | -3 | 10 |
| 23 | Dinamo Zagreb | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 12 - 16 | -4 | 10 |
| 24 | Brann | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 9 - 11 | -2 | 9 |
| 25 | Young Boys | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 10 - 16 | -6 | 9 |
| 26 | Sturm Graz | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 - 11 | -6 | 7 |
| 27 | FCSB | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 9 - 16 | -7 | 7 |
| 28 | Go Ahead Eagles | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 - 14 | -8 | 7 |
| 29 | Feyenoord | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 11 - 15 | -4 | 6 |
| 30 | Basel | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 9 - 13 | -4 | 6 |
| 31 | Salzburg | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 10 - 15 | -5 | 6 |
| 32 | Rangers | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 - 14 | -9 | 4 |
| 33 | Nice | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 7 - 15 | -8 | 3 |
| 34 | FC Utrecht | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 5 - 15 | -10 | 1 |
| 35 | Malmö FF | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 4 - 15 | -11 | 1 |
| 36 | Maccabi Tel Aviv | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 - 22 | -20 | 1 |