Stefan Ortega left out at Brighton as Vitor Pereira turns to fit-again Matz Sels | OneFootball

Nottingham Forest are without Stefan Ortega at Brighton, with Vitor Pereira judging his involvement too risky after the goalkeeper’s calf issue. Matz Sels is fit to start at the Amex.

“Of course, Stefan Ortega was doing very well, but he got an injury, and it was a big risk to come into this game - it was not possible. For our luck, Sels is in (fit) condition and Sels has experience and today it will be important to have Sels in goal,” he told Sky Sports.

Ortega sustained the calf problem in the second half against Fenerbahce on Thursday, received treatment and continued, but he is not in the squad today.

Sels had been sidelined for the past month with a groin injury. It is his first appearance since last month’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace.

Pereira has made seven changes from midweek, with Sels, Nikola Milenkovic, Ola Aina, Ibrahim Sangare, Morgan Gibbs-White, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Igor Jesus starting.

Sels lines up behind Neco Williams, Milenkovic, Murillo and Aina, with Sangare alongside Elliot Anderson in midfield. Omari Hutchinson, Gibbs-White and Hudson-Odoi support striker Jesus.

Forest are two points above the bottom three. They lost 2-1 to Fenerbahce in the play-off second leg but progressed 4-2 on aggregate to reach the Europa League last 16.

Source: Nottingham Post