Nottingham Forest vs. Aston Villa prediction, odds, expert picks for Europa League match Thursday

SportsLine soccer expert Jon Eimer reveals his top plays for Thursday's Europa League semifinal first-leg match between Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa

James Holliman

Apr 30, 2026

7:00 am ET

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2 min read

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Two English Premier League foes do battle on Thursday, April 30, in the UEFA Europa League semifinals when Nottingham Forest hosts Aston Villa in the first leg of their tie. Forest ranks just 16th in the EPL table, five points ahead of the relegation zone, but they have their eyes on a prize if they can advance to the May 20 final in Istanbul, Turkey. Villa are fifth in the EPL table entering Thursday. The Villans demolished Bologna by a 7-1 aggregate in the prior round, while Forest topped Porto by a 2-1 aggregate score. You can catch Nottingham Forest vs. Aston Villa on Paramount+.

Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET at City Ground in West Bridgford, England. Forest are +160 home favorites on the 90-minute money line (wager $100 to win $160) in the latest Nottingham Forest vs. Aston Villa odds at DraftKings Sportsbook. Villa are +185 underdogs (wager $100 to win $185) and a draw is priced at +225. The match total is set at 2.5 goals (Over +100, Under -130). Before you place any wagers on the UEFA Europa League or Aston Villa vs. Nottingham Forest, make sure you see what SportsLine soccer expert Jon Eimer is wagering for the contest.

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Eimer finished 2023 as SportsLine's No. 1 soccer expert, posting a 248-234-12 record (+25.93 units) on SportsLine article picks. Eimer has been red-hot in 2025, posting a profit in multiple leagues, including the Premier League, Champions League, La Liga and more. Anyone following his soccer betting picks could have seen huge returns at sportsbooks and on betting apps.

Here are Eimer's best bets and analysis for Nottingham Forest vs. Aston Villa on Thursday, April 30.

Nottingham Forest vs. Aston Villa best bets

- Nottingham Forest draw no bet (-125, 1 unit)

- Forest first team to score (-110, 1 unit)

Nottingham Forest's absurd change in form

Nottingham Forest have had an absolute roller coaster of a season. They've gone through struggles both on and off the pitch as they've rotated through managers and dealt with injuries. While they've had their troubles this season, their form over the last couple months has been their saving grace.

Forest are unbeaten in their last eight matches across all competitions, picking up some massive points to help avoid relegation, while also taking down Midtjylland and Porto in Europa play to advance to this stage. Morgan Gibbs-White continues to perform and help this team advance, and especially when playing at home, Forest should have enough to get at least a draw out of Aston VIlla in this first leg.

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Aston Villa's struggles on the road

This is a classic matchup between two sides that should get the best of each other specifically on their home legs. Nottingham Forest have been great at home, as has Aston Villa. The big problem for Aston VIlla though, is their poor away form. This team is an almost unstoppable force at Villa Park, but it struggles on the road.

Villa lost to Fulham in an extremely important EPL match, drew with Forest last time on the road, lost to Man United and Wolves. I can't back VIlla on the road, and expect them to try to keep this close with the goal of winning in the second leg.

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