The FC Porto vs Nottingham Forest clash sees two teams that faced off in the league phase go head-to-head in the UEFA Europa League quarter-final.
In the FC Porto vs Nottingham Forest league phase clash, the Reds won 2-0 and subsequently secured their first win in the competition.
However, since that defeat, the Liga Portugal league leaders have not lost in the UEFA Europa League and look to claim their first European trophy since 2011.
With that being said, Vitor Pereira’s Forest side are not going to roll over easily, with the Tricky Trees in the midst of a Premier League relegation battle and also battling on the European front.
The FC Porto vs Nottingham Forest clash on Thursday is likely to be a tasty affair between two sides that are having very contrasting seasons.
FC Porto vs Nottingham Forest: The Dragões Still On For The Treble
Francisco Farioli’s side are having a superb season domestically and in Europe as they hunt down a potential treble.
Finishing in the top five of the league phase in this season’s UEFA Europa League, FC Porto advanced straight into the Round of 16 and avoided the Play-Offs, unlike their quarter-final opponents.
In Liga Portugal, they are five points clear at the top of the table and have conceded only 13 goals this season, with many of the plaudits going to the solid Polish duo of Jakub Kiwior and Jan Bednarek.
In the Round of 16, they faced VfB Stuttgart and gained victories both home and away to dump their German opponents out of the Europa League with a 4-1 aggregate win.
During the course of the 2025/26 season, Faroli’s side have only lost four times in all competitions, proving just how strong a side they are and that Forest will have a tough job on their hands in the UEFA Europa League quarter-final.
In addition, the first leg of this FC Porto vs Nottingham Forest clash is being played at Estádio do Dragão, Porto’s home, which has only seen one defeat in all competitions this season.
Whilst the Portuguese side look to be firm favourites ahead of this tie, the job for Forest will be to keep the score as low as possible for the return leg at the City Ground next week.
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FC Porto vs Nottingham Forest: The Reds’ Continued March In Europe
After a 1-0 away at FC Midtjylland in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League Round of 16 clash, the signs were bleak and Forest looked like they were on the brink of elimination.
However, with the home crowd behind them in the second leg, the Tricky Trees bounced back and were buoyed to a penalty shootout victory over the Danish side to book their place in the next round.
Off the back of that victory, Forest travelled to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in a Premier League relegation six-pointer.
Pereira’s side secured an outstanding 3-0 victory away from home to climb above Tottenham Hotspur into 16th place, three points above the relegation zone.
With that being said, even though Spurs were competing in the UEFA Champions League this season, the calibre of FC Porto right now makes them a far tougher and more dangerous opponent.
Nottingham Forest, of course, were victorious last time these sides met in the league phase back in October, but the Portuguese league leaders will bring a completely different game to this clash.
With the competition entering the latter stages, both sides will be determined to get a victory that will put them in a better spot heading into the second leg next week.
FC Porto vs Nottingham Forest: Head-To-Head
The only these two sides have faced off against each other in their long histories was during this season’s league phase of the UEFA Europa League.
Forest had the home advantage that evening and picked up a 2-0 victory, their first win in Europe since the 1995/96 season.
Goals from Morgan Gibbs-White and Igor Jesus, both from the penalty spot, secured what was a historic victory for Forest on Matchday Three of the UEFA Europa League.
However, with the FC Porto vs Nottingham Forest first leg being played in Portugal, the Liga Portugal league leaders will look to make that advantage count to level things up in the all-time head-to-head and move one step closer to the UEFA Europa League semi-finals.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / SOPA Images
Recording Date: 23.10.2025
