Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa played to a 0-0 stalemate in the Europa League semi-final first leg at the City Ground on Thursday. The match ended 0-0 after extra time, setting up a decisive second leg. The home side dominated possession but struggled to convert chances against a resolute Villans defensive setup.

Both teams remain winless in their last six European encounters, highlighting the tight contest between these mid-table Premier League sides. The 0-0 aggregate score keeps the tie finely balanced ahead of next week's return fixture. Aston Villa's organized defensive display frustrated Nottingham Forest's attacking ambitions throughout the three extended periods.

The draw means neither side gained home advantage for the second leg, with both managers likely to rotate squads given the physical demands of extra time. City Ground supporters left frustrated after seeing their team's Europa League hopes extend to a penalty shootout scenario. The result maintains Europa League semi-final contention for both clubs with momentum firmly up for grabs.