Key Leeds United relegation rivals now face an even busier run in.
Leeds United’s relegation-battling rivals Nottingham Forest now face two more games amid their Premier League survival bid but also trophy quest - yet in the face of a fresh triple blow.
Fifth-bottom Forest are just three points behind Leeds in both clubs’ survival bids but Forest were in European action on Thursday night with a Europa League quarter-final second leg at home to FC Porto.
The two teams entered the second leg at the City Ground with the tie all square at 1-1 but Forest progressed to their first European semi final in 42 years as a 12th-minute strike from Morgan Gibbs-White proved the only goal of the game.
It means Forest now face at least two more games amid the club’s quest for Premier League survival in a two legged all English semi-final against Aston Villa who walloped Bologna 7-1 on aggregate.
But victory against Porto came at a cost for Forest who were also dealt a fresh triple blow in the contest itself through injuries to key men Chris Wood, Murillo and Callum Hudson-Odoi, all of whom were forced off.
Having only just returned from injury, the club’s star striker and former Leeds man Chris Wood was handed just his second start since October but the New Zealand international ace was forced off with just 16 minutes on the clock.
Eight minutes earlier, Wood was taken down by a late and high challenge from Porto’s Jan Bednarek whose straight outstretched leg caught the striker to the inside of his knee.
After the intervention of VAR, referee Danny Makkelie was instructed to check his monitor and returned to issue Bednarek with a straight red card.
Wood initially continued and Morgan Gibbs-White then fired the Reds ahead with just 12 minutes on the clock but Wood went to ground needing treatment shortly afterwards before being substituted for Igor Jesus.
Forest took their 1-0 lead into the break and ultimately the Gibbs-White strike was enough for a 2-1 win on aggregate but Murillo and Hudson-Odoi were also both forced off with muscular injuries.
Forest now face a very quick return to action with Sunday’s 2pm kick-off at at home to Burnley in the first of six games left in their quest for Premier League survival.
The club’s Europa League semi-final first leg will take place at the City Ground on Thursday, April 30 with the second leg at Villa Park on Thursday, May 7.
The first leg falls six days after the Friday night Premier League clash at Sunderland but just four days before the Monday night league trip to Chelsea.
The second leg then presents itself just three days after the league clash at Stamford Bridge, Forest then hosting Newcastle United in a Premier League match on the Sunday just three days after the second leg at Villa Park.
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