Two former European Cup champions, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa, both representing England’s Midlands, faced off at the City Ground with ambitions of reclaiming continental glory. At this stage of the competition, neither side could afford a misstep that might jeopardize the rest of the tie. However, a costly penalty conceded by Lucas Digne and calmly converted by Chris Wood gives Nottingham Forest a slim advantage heading into the second leg in Birmingham. Unai Emery’s side will need a spirited response to overturn the deficit.
