Nottingham Forest continue their remarkable Europa League run - but does it only increase the pressure on staying in the Premier League? Owner Evangelos Marinakis invested £180m in new players this season, aiming to build on last year's seventh-place finish. The club now faces a daunting juggling act: defending their Europa League quarter-final win against Porto while avoiding relegation in a congested Premier League schedule.

Forest's managerial merry-go-round - from Nuno Espirito Santo to Vitor Pereira - has added instability. Pereira, who replaced sacked Ange Postecoglou after just 39 days in charge, must balance domestic and European priorities. His midweek squad thinning for the Porto clash sparked controversy, with critics questioning whether young players like Zach Abbott can handle both competitions. Yet Sunday's 1-1 draw against Aston Villa - fielding a near-full-strength team - showed tactical pragmatism.

With six league games remaining, Forest's fate hinges on results against Burnley and Sunderland. A relegation exit would force them into Championship football next season while still competing in European matches - a feat achieved by Championship sides like Birmingham City (2011) and Ipswich Town (2002). The expanded 36-team Champions League format exacerbates fixture congestion, with no Premier League teams facing fewer than six games pre-Christmas.

Experts debate whether Forest can realistically achieve both objectives. Former England international Karen Carney argues survival must come first: "The priority is to keep the club in the Premier League." Yet Pereira insists he wants to win silverware as a head coach. The club's 20 May Europa League final date looms large, with a potential clash against Bundesliga's Bayer Leverkusen or Primeira Liga's Braga. Whether Forest can defy history and thrive in both competitions remains uncertain, but the stakes for this season's survival have never been higher.