What is Forest's record against Spanish opposition? | OneFootball

Nottingham Forest make their long-awaited return to European football this evening as they visit Spain to take on Real Betis in the UEFA Europa League.

The Reds of course have happy memories in Spain, lifting the 1979/80 European Cup at the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid when John Robertson scored the winning goal for Brian Clough's side against a Hamburger SV team that included Kevin Keegan.

But Forest have only faced Spanish opposition in official games on six occasions: four times in two-legged Super Cup finals and over a two-legged Inter-Cities Fairs Cup tie.

The first meetings were also Forest's first ever exposure to European football and proved to be somewhat of a shock to the system.

Forest took part in the 1961/62 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and were drawn against Valencia, losing the first leg 2-0 in Spain before suffering a 5-1 defeat at home.

Héctor Núñez, a Uruguayan striker who went on to manage his country, scored a hat-trick in Nottingham during that second leg hammering. Brazilian Waldo scored Valencia's other goals over the two legs with Billy Cobb scoring Forest's only goal.

Forest didn't face another Spanish side until they had mastered continental football when they took on Barcelona in the two-legged Super Cup final after winning the 1978/79 European Cup.

They faced a Barça side who defeated Ipswich Town on their way to the 1978/79 European Cup Winners' Cup. A first leg win in England and a draw in Catalonia added more to the club's trophy cabinet.

Charlie George played just four games for Forest in his short loan spell from Southampton with half of them coming in Super Cup games against Barcelona. The former Arsenal man scored the winning goal early on in the first game and featured in the second.

Roberto Dinamite pulled Barça level on aggregate from the penalty spot at Camp Nou but Kenny Burns made it 1-1 on the night, giving Clough's team a 2-1 aggregate win.

Then we fast forward another year to the next Super Cup that followed Forest's win over Hamburger SV in Madrid.

Ian Bowyer scored twice in a 2-1 win over Valencia at the City Ground with Argentinian Darío Felman netting for the visitors.

The old away goals rule ultimately helped the Spanish side triumph as Fernando Morena scored in a 1-0 win for Valencia in the second leg to mean that the Murciélagos lifted the trophy.

Now, just under 45 years later Forest will take on a Spanish team again.