42-year first as Leeds United rivals Forest add two games amid survival fight and triple injury blow | OneFootball

Leeds United’s relegation-battling rivals Nottingham Forest have reached their first European semi-final in 42 years, adding at least two fixtures to a crowded run-in.

According to yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk, fifth-bottom Forest are three points behind Leeds and hosted FC Porto on Thursday in a Europa League quarter-final second leg with the tie level at 1-1.

Eight minutes in, Chris Wood was taken down by a late, high challenge from Porto’s Jan Bednarek, whose outstretched leg caught the striker inside the knee. After a VAR review, referee Danny Makkelie issued a straight red card. Wood continued, Morgan Gibbs-White scored in the 12th minute, then Wood went off injured on 16, replaced by Igor Jesus.

Forest held firm for a 1-0 win on the night and 2-1 on aggregate. Murillo and Callum Hudson-Odoi were also forced off with muscular injuries.

The semi-final brings at least two extra matches, an all-English tie with Aston Villa, who beat Bologna 7-1 on aggregate. First leg is at City Ground on Thursday, April 30, return at Villa Park on Thursday, May 7.

Forest are back quickly with a two pm kick-off at home to Burnley on Sunday, the first of six league games left in their survival bid. The first leg falls six days after the Friday night Premier League clash at Sunderland and four days before the Monday night trip to Chelsea.

The second leg arrives three days after the league match at Stamford Bridge, with Newcastle United visiting the City Ground on the Sunday, three days later.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk