FC Midtjylland vs Nottingham Forest Lineups, Prediction, Team News, Injury And Preview

FC Midtjylland vs Nottingham Forest Prediction: FC Midtjylland are predicted to draw 1–1 with Nottingham Forest in the Europa League Round of 16 second leg on March 19, 2026, advancing 2–1 on aggregate thanks to their strong home record and first-leg advantage.

Match Overview

Detail	Information
Match	FC Midtjylland vs Nottingham Forest
Competition	UEFA Europa League – Round of 16 (Second Leg)
Date	Thursday, 19 March 2026
Kickoff Time	11:15 PM (Local) / 5:45 PM UK
Venue	MCH Arena, Herning, Denmark
First Leg Result	Nottingham Forest 0–1 Midtjylland
Aggregate (Before 2nd Leg)	Midtjylland lead 1–0
Head Coach – Midtjylland	Mike Tullberg
Head Coach – Forest	Vitor Pereira

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Key Facts

• Nottingham Forest lost the first leg 1–0 at the City Ground on 13 March 2026, with Gue-sung Cho scoring in the 80th minute.
• Forest must score at least once in Denmark to stay alive; a 1–0 win sends the tie to extra time.
• Midtjylland finished third in the 36-team Europa League League Phase with 19 points from 8 games.
• Nottingham Forest finished 13th in the League Phase with 14 points from 8 games.
• Forest have scored just one goal in their last five home games across all competitions from 99 attempts.
• Forest have netted nine goals across their last five away matches — a sharp contrast to their home form.
• Midtjylland have won all four home Europa League fixtures this season, conceding only one goal.
• Forest have not reached a European quarter-final since the 1995–96 UEFA Cup.
• Midtjylland’s top scorer Franculino (21 goals) is ruled out with a knee injury.
• Forest striker Chris Wood is also unavailable due to a knee injury.

FC Midtjylland vs Nottingham Forest Preview

Nottingham Forest travel to the MCH Arena in Herning carrying a one-goal deficit and a worrying run of form.

Vitor Pereira, appointed as Sean Dyche’s replacement last month, started his tenure with a commanding 3–0 win over Fenerbahce in the Europa League.

Since then, Forest have failed to win any of their last six matches across all competitions, drawing two and losing four.

The first leg at the City Ground told a frustrating story. Forest generated 22 shots but could not convert a single one.

Midtjylland, disciplined and clinical, needed only their second shot on target — a substitute’s finish from Gue-sung Cho in the 80th minute — to take a decisive lead back to Denmark.

Valdemar Andreasen also struck the crossbar with a 25-yard effort, underlining just how ruthless the Danish side can be on the counter.

Midtjylland have been the Europa League’s standout surprise this season. They won seven of nine League Phase games, finished third overall, and have now beaten a Premier League side twice in the same European campaign.

Head coach Mike Tullberg has been vocal about his team’s quality, insisting Forest are “not a team playing against relegation” — a pointed remark that underscores how seriously Midtjylland are taking this tie.

That said, Midtjylland arrive into this second leg with their own concerns. They lost 1–0 at home to FC Nordsjaelland in the Danish Superliga last weekend, conceding in the 99th minute.

That result ended an eight-game unbeaten run and dropped them five points behind the league summit. Momentum, which had been firmly with the Wolves, has taken a hit.

Forest’s away record in Europe offers genuine reason for optimism. They have won two of their last three Europa League away games and have scored nine goals in their last five away matches across all competitions.

If Pereira can unlock that attacking fluency on the road, a comeback is not beyond them.

Predicted FC Midtjylland vs Nottingham Forest Lineups and Formations

FC Midtjylland Possible Starting XI (3-5-2)

Olafsson; Erlic, Bech Sorensen, Diao; Osorio, Billing, Bravo, Castillo, Bak; Simsir, Brumado

Dario Osorio returns from a one-match suspension and will compete with Kevin Mbabu for the right wing-back role.

Gue-sung Cho pushes for a starting berth after his match-winning substitute appearance in the first leg.

Philip Billing, formerly of Fulham, is expected to anchor the midfield alongside Denil Castillo and Pedro Bravo.

Nottingham Forest Possible Starting XI (4-2-3-1)

Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Sangare, Anderson; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus

Neco Williams, Nikola Milenkovic, and Ibrahim Sangare are all in line to return after starting on the bench in the first leg.

Morgan Gibbs-White is expected to operate in an advanced playmaking role behind Igor Jesus.

Injuries and Suspensions

FC Midtjylland

• Franculino (knee) – OUT. The team’s top scorer with 21 goals this season is a significant absence.
• Mikel Gogorza (unspecified) – OUT.
• Dario Osorio – Available after serving a one-match ban.

Nottingham Forest

• Jair Cunha (foot) – OUT. Forced off in the first half of the first leg.
• Stefan Ortega (calf) – OUT.
• Nicolo Savona (knee) – OUT.
• Chris Wood (knee) – OUT.
• John Victor (knee) – OUT.
• Willy Boly (knee) – OUT.
• Luca Netz – Ineligible for Europa League.

Key Injury That Could Shift the Game

Franculino’s absence is the most impactful injury in this tie. He has scored 21 goals this season and leads Midtjylland’s attacking line. Without him, Tullberg must rely on Cho and Brumado to carry the attacking threat.

For Forest, the absence of Chris Wood removes a physical presence up front, placing the full burden of goalscoring on Igor Jesus — who has seven Europa League goals this season and is in strong form.

Key Players to Watch

Igor Jesus (Nottingham Forest)

The Brazilian striker has seven Europa League goals this season, making him joint-top scorer in the competition alongside Ludogorets’ Petar Stanic.

Forest need him to deliver in Denmark. His combination with Morgan Gibbs-White — who together account for 40% of Forest’s 55 goals across all competitions — will be central to any comeback.

Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest)

Operating in the hole behind Jesus, Gibbs-White is Forest’s creative engine. His ability to find pockets of space and play incisive passes will be critical against a compact Midtjylland defensive block.

Gue-sung Cho (FC Midtjylland)

The South Korean striker came off the bench to score the decisive goal in the first leg. If he starts, his movement and finishing ability make him a constant threat on the break.

Philip Billing (FC Midtjylland)

The former Bournemouth midfielder brings physicality and range of passing to Midtjylland’s midfield. His ability to control tempo and win second balls will be key in disrupting Forest’s rhythm.

Tactical Analysis

Midtjylland’s 3-5-2 system is built for defensive solidity and rapid transitions. Their wing-backs provide width, while the three-man defence absorbs pressure effectively.

In the first leg, they sat deep, absorbed Forest’s 22 shots, and punished them on the counter. Expect a similar approach at home — protect the aggregate lead, hit on the break.

Forest, under Pereira, have shown a preference for a 4-2-3-1 shape. The double pivot of Sangare and Anderson provides defensive cover, while Gibbs-White links play between midfield and attack.

The full-backs — Aina and Williams — will need to push forward to create overloads in wide areas and deliver crosses for Jesus.

The tactical battle will hinge on whether Forest can stretch Midtjylland’s back three wide enough to create central openings.

If they can, Jesus and Gibbs-White have the quality to convert. If Midtjylland’s wing-backs successfully pin back Forest’s wide players, the hosts will control the game comfortably.

Where to Watch Live?

Country	Broadcaster
United Kingdom	TNT Sports 2, discovery+, discovery+ App
USA	CBS Sports Network, Paramount+, fuboTV, ViX
Germany	Sky Go, WOW, RTL+, Sky Sport Mix
France	Canal+ Sport, Free, myCANAL
Spain	Movistar+, Movistar Liga de Campeones 5
Italy	Sky Sport 257, SKY Go Italia, NOW TV
Australia	Stan Sport
Canada	DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada
India	Sony LIV, Sony Ten 1/2/3/4/5, JioTV
Netherlands	Ziggo Go, Ziggo Sport 5
Portugal	DAZN1 Portugal, DAZN Portugal

Europa League Standings

Pos	Team	MP	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Olympique Lyonnais	8	7	0	1	18	5	+13	21
2	Aston Villa	8	7	0	1	14	6	+8	21
3	Midtjylland	8	6	1	1	18	8	+10	19
13	Nottingham Forest	8	4	2	2	15	7	+8	14

Head-to-Head Analysis

These two clubs have met three times in the 2025–26 Europa League campaign alone, making this a genuinely familiar rivalry at the European level.

• 3 October 2025 (League Phase): Nottingham Forest 2–3 Midtjylland — Midtjylland won at the City Ground.
• 13 March 2026 (R16 First Leg): Nottingham Forest 0–1 Midtjylland — Cho’s late goal settled it.
• 19 March 2026 (R16 Second Leg): To be played at MCH Arena.

Midtjylland have scored both of their winning goals in the 80th minute or later in away European fixtures — and both have come against Forest.

That pattern of late, decisive strikes reflects a team with strong fitness levels and mental resilience. Forest, by contrast, have struggled to convert dominance into goals against this specific opponent.

FC Midtjylland vs Nottingham Forest Prediction

Forest’s away form in Europe is encouraging, and their attacking quality — particularly through Jesus and Gibbs-White — gives them a genuine chance of scoring in Denmark.

However, Midtjylland’s home record in the Europa League (four wins, one goal conceded) is exceptional, and they hold the psychological edge having beaten Forest twice already this season.

Predicted Score: FC Midtjylland 1–1 Nottingham Forest (Midtjylland advance 2–1 on aggregate)

Forest are likely to score, but Midtjylland’s defensive structure and counter-attacking threat make it difficult to see the Tricky Trees keeping a clean sheet.

A draw on the night sends Midtjylland through to the quarter-finals — the furthest they have ever progressed in European competition.

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