UEFA Europa League Round of 16
Nottingham Forest 0 - 1 FT FC Midtjylland
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
9' ↓ Cunha ↑N. Milenkovic
33' Morato
HT
46' ↓ Morato ↑N. Williams
↓ D. Castillo ↑V. Byskov 46'
↓ Junior Brumado ↑Cho Gue-Sung 57'
↓ A. Simsir ↑M. Uhre 57'
↓ K. Mbabu ↑Lee Han-Beom 59'
69' ↓ N. Dominguez ↑I. Sangare
69' ↓ Igor Jesus ↑L. Lucca
Cho Gue-Sung (O. Diao) 80'
82' ↓ O. Aina ↑D. Bakwa
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Nottingham Forest
Goalkeepers
M. Sels 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Midfielders
O. Aina
LATE SHIFT
8
Late Mins
8
Late Mins
82
Total Mins
82
Entry
E. Anderson 
MAGNET
82
Activity
82
Activity
71
Passes
11
Duels
N. Dominguez
MAGNET
69
Activity
69
Activity
57
Passes
12
Duels
C. Hudson-Odoi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Forwards
O. Hutchinson 
ARCHITECT
4
Key Passes
4
Key Passes
0
Assists
29%
Pass Acc
M. Gibbs-White
ARCHITECT
4
Key Passes
4
Key Passes
0
Assists
32%
Pass Acc
Igor Jesus 
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
7
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
BENCH
A. Gunn 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
K. Willows
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
N. Milenkovic
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
81
Total Mins
Started
Entry
N. Williams
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
0
Assists
31%
Pass Acc
Z. Abbott
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
I. Sangare
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
21
Total Mins
Started
Entry
R. Yates
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
J. McAtee
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
D. Bakwa
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
8
Total Mins
Started
Entry
L. Lucca
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
21
Total Mins
Started
Entry
FC Midtjylland
Goalkeepers
E. Olafsson 
OCTOPUS
5
Saves
5
Saves
0
Conceded
100%
Save %
Defenders
O. Diao
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
1
Assists
38%
Pass Acc
M. Erlic
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
M. Bech Sorensen 
SHIELD
3
Blocks
3
Blocks
0
Interceptions
2
Tackles
Midfielders
K. Mbabu
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
60
Total Mins
59
Entry
D. Castillo
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
46
Entry
P. Billing
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
P. Bravo
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
V. Bak
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Forwards
Junior Brumado
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
57
Total Mins
57
Entry
A. Simsir
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
57
Total Mins
57
Entry
BENCH
J. Lossl
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
M. Ugboh
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Lee Han-Beom
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
30
Total Mins
Started
Entry
A. Gabriel
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
V. Byskov 
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Junior Ze
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
E. Chilufya
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Cho Gue-Sung 
CLOSER
1
Late Goals
1
Late Goals
0
Late Assists
75
Minute
M. Uhre
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
33
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03/12/2026 | Nottingham Forest | 0 - 1 | FC Midtjylland | UEFA Europa League | City Ground |
| 10/02/2025 | Nottingham Forest | 2 - 3 | FC Midtjylland | UEFA Europa League | City Ground |
03/12/2026
10/02/2025
Nottingham Forest Win
FC Midtjylland Win
Draw
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Danish Smash-and-Grab Shocks City Ground
Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 44/100. Midtjylland executed the ultimate tactical heist, turning a resolute defensive masterclass into a priceless first-leg advantage against the run of play.
Forest's Early Barrage
Nottingham Forest set a blistering tempo immediately at the City Ground, determined to stamp their authority on this knockout tie. The hosts controlled possession, holding 58% of the ball as they ruthlessly pinned the Danish side deep into their own half. Omari Hutchinson pulled the strings masterfully in the final third, orchestrating waves of attacks that thoroughly tested the opposition's resolve. A relentless barrage of 22 total shots turned the pitch into a veritable shooting gallery. A towering Intensity rating tells the story of an offensive siege, yet the elusive breakthrough simply refused to arrive. Midtjylland survived the early onslaught by maintaining a rigid defensive shape, perfectly content to let Forest pass the ball harmlessly around the perimeter.
The Great Wall of Midtjylland
Every legendary European away performance requires a heroic display between the sticks, and Elías Ólafsson delivered exactly that. The visiting goalkeeper aggrandised himself with five critical saves, consistently frustrating Forest's frontline and keeping the crowd on edge. The home side racked up an imposing 1.72 expected goals but woefully lacked the final clinical touch needed to alter the scoreboard. Meanwhile, Philip Billing anchored the midfield brilliantly, rightfully earning Man of the Match honours for his commanding presence. His uncanny ability to break up play and disrupt Forest's passing rhythm kept the tactical Balance of the tie perfectly poised. As the clock ticked past the hour mark, the foundation for a monumental Upset was slowly but surely taking shape.
The Sucker Punch Finish
The decisive blow arrived in the 80th minute, leaving the home support in stunned silence. Substitute Cho Gue-Sung, brought into the fray to provide fresh legs, found pockets of space and clinically converted a precise pass from O. Diao. It was a ruthless, unforgiving lesson in European knockout football. FC Midtjylland only managed a measly 0.69 expected goals all evening, but they claimed the single statistic that actually matters. The Stakes are now astronomically high ahead of the crucial return leg. Forest face a daunting journey to Denmark on March 19th, knowing they must overturn this 1-0 deficit away from home if they hope to keep their European dreams alive this season.
Key Questions
What made Philip Billing the Man of the Match?
Billing anchored the midfield brilliantly, disrupting Forest's rhythm and earning an 8.5 rating to secure the crucial away victory.
What does this mean for Nottingham Forest's season?
Forest must overturn a 1-0 aggregate deficit away in Denmark on March 19th to avoid early elimination from the Europa League.
How did substitute Philip Billing change the game?
Philip Billing started and dominated the midfield, though it was actual substitute Cho Gue-Sung who ultimately changed the game with his 80th-minute winner.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
A High-Scoring Shootout Beckons in Nottingham
Worth Watching Futmetrix Score: 68/100. An elite assembly of attacking talent promises a relentless Round of 16 first leg where defending takes a back seat.
The Setup
Nottingham Forest welcome FC Midtjylland to the City Ground with quarter-final ambitions strictly on the line. The visitors sit an impressive third in the competition standings and boast a lethal away record, thriving on hostile ground. Forest enter as clear home favorites, but a modest Balance rating suggests this tie remains dangerously poised. A flawless Stars rating drives the narrative here. Both sides guarantee penalty-box action, combining for over five goals per game on average when factoring in Forest's home dominance and Midtjylland's road efficiency. Strong Form numbers confirm these attacking units are peaking at the exact right moment. The Stakes are massive in this first leg, with both managers desperate to establish a commanding lead before the decisive March 19 return fixture in Denmark.
Key Battle
Igor Jesus versus Martin Erlić. The Forest talisman is a relentless goal machine right now, terrifying backlines with his sharp movement and clinical finishing. He faces a rugged, towering defensive presence in Erlić, who remarkably also poses a massive threat in the opposition box with three goals himself. Whoever dominates this physical duel dictates the first-leg advantage.
Our Prediction
Forest's sheer firepower gives them the clear edge on home turf, but Midtjylland's away specialists simply will not leave quietly. We back a breathless 3-2 victory for the hosts. Expect an open, frantic game where an inspired, busy performance from visiting shot-stopper Elías Ólafsson ultimately keeps the tie perfectly poised for the second leg.