Nottingham Forest will mark their historic return to European group stage football on Wednesday with a tough trip to face Real Betis in their Europa League opener.Forest are back on the continental st...
Nottingham Forest will mark their historic return to European group stage football on Wednesday with a tough trip to face Real Betis in their Europa League opener.
Forest are back on the continental stage for the first time since 1996, led by reigning Europa League-winning manager Ange Postecoglou. They face a Betis side, however, that has a formidable home record in this competition and were finalists in the Conference League last season.
Real Betis vs Nottingham Forest – Match Preview and Team News
- Date: Wednesday, 24 September 2025
- Kick-off: 8:00 pm BST
- Venue: Estadio La Cartuja, Seville
- Last Meeting: Real Betis 1-0 Nottingham Forest, July 14, 2018, Club Friendly
Team News
Real Betis
Manuel Pellegrini will be without his star playmaker Isco due to a long-term injury. He also has doubts over three other players, including defender Diego Llorente. Former Premier League players Giovani Lo Celso and Pablo Fornals are expected to feature in midfield.
Nottingham Forest
Ange Postecoglou is unable to call upon the injured duo of Nicolas Domínguez and Ola Aina. In addition, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Omari Hutchinson are ineligible for the competition. Key defender Murillo faces a late fitness test to determine if he can start.
Form
Real Betis
The Spanish side are in good form, coming off a 3-1 league victory over Real Sociedad on Friday. Their home record in European group stages is exceptional, having lost just one of their last 18 such matches. However, they have a very poor historical record against English opposition, losing seven of nine encounters.
Nottingham Forest
Forest’s domestic form has been uneven since Postecoglou’s arrival, with the team taking just one point from their last two league games. This competition, however, offers a fresh start. Their manager has a superb personal record in the Europa League, which will provide a major confidence boost.
Predicted Lineups
Real Betis predicted XI: Valles; Bellerin, Bartra, Natan, Firpo; Fornals, Altimira; Antony, Lo Celso, Ezzalzouli; Cucho
Nottingham Forest predicted XI: Sels; Williams, Milenkovic, Murillo, Morato; Luiz, Anderson; Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood
How to watch Real Betis vs Nottingham Forest?
The match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1 and discovery+ in the UK.
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Category: General Sports
