FC Porto vs Nottingham Forest Prediction - UEFA Europa League

At 2:00 AM on April 10, 2026, the Dragao Stadium will become the focal point for football fans as FC Porto hosts Nottingham Forest in the UEFA Europa League. This match is not only significant in terms of points in the standings but also an opportunity for the Portuguese representative to assert their strength at home against a formidable opponent from England.

The teams' positions in the league table and their ambitions.

Currently, FC Porto sits in 5th place in the league table with 17 points after 10 matches. The team from the Dragao Stadium is maintaining extremely stable form, especially when playing in front of their home crowd. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest is in 13th place with 14 points after 12 games. Although lower in position, the point difference is not too large, making this match extremely important for both teams in their efforts to break into the top group.

Performance and professional statistics

FC Porto: The impregnable Dragao fortress.

The Portuguese team is showing impressive form with 3 wins and 2 draws in their last 5 matches in this competition. Looking more broadly, in their last 10 matches, Porto has won 7, including 5 convincing victories at home.

Porto's defense is a solid foundation, conceding an average of only 0.8 goals per game. On the attacking front, they have scored 17 goals (an average of 1.7 goals per game). The fact that they haven't tasted defeat or even a draw at home this season makes the Dragao a formidable challenge for any visiting team.

Nottingham Forest: Unpredictability from England

On the other side of the pitch, Nottingham Forest are in rather inconsistent form with 3 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss in their last 5 matches. The English team has played 12 games this season, winning 6 and losing 4.

Notably, Nottingham Forest boasts a sharp attack with 22 goals (an average of 1.8 goals per game), higher than the home team. However, their defense still has weaknesses, conceding an average of 0.9 goals per game. On the road, they have secured 3 wins in 6 away matches, demonstrating considerable resilience when playing away from home.

Head-to-head history: Memories of Forest's victories.

The most recent encounter between the two teams took place on October 24, 2025, where Nottingham Forest took full advantage of their home ground to win 2-0 against Porto. This result will certainly motivate the Portuguese team to go all out for revenge in this return match, especially given their excellent form at Dragao.

Team situation: A headache for two coaches.

Both teams are facing a serious personnel crisis due to injuries and off-field issues.

• FC Porto:The home team will be without two key attacking players, Samu and Luuk de Jong, due to knee injuries. Nicolas Perez is absent with an Achilles tendon injury, while Y. Karamoh and O. Pietuszewski are unavailable. Additionally, the participation of R. Mora and Zaidu remains uncertain.
• Nottingham Forest:The visiting team will be without Elliot Anderson due to suspension (yellow card). Their injury list is extensive, with Cunha (foot injury), Willy Boly, John Victor, and N. Savona (all with knee problems). Their main striker, Chris Wood, is also doubtful due to fitness issues.

Tactical analysis and predictions

With home advantage and consistent form, FC Porto are considered slightly better at controlling the game. However, the absence of key strikers like Samu and Luuk de Jong could affect their finishing ability. Nottingham Forest, with their characteristic counter-attacking style of English teams, will be lurking, waiting for mistakes from their opponents.

Experts predict this will be a tight match with few goals (under 2.5). Porto has a 35% chance of winning, a 35% chance of a draw, and a 30% chance of an away win. The most likely scenario is Porto drawing or winning, thanks to their home advantage.

Predicted result:FC Porto win or draw.

Team lineup updated at 01:30 on 10/04/2026

Official lineup

FC Porto

Diagram: 4-3-3

CoachFrancesco Farioli

Starting lineup:

• 99. Diogo Costa (G)
• 52. Martim Fernandes (D)
• 3. Thiago Silva (D)
• 5. Jan Bednarek (D)
• 12. Zaidu Sanusi (D)
• 42. Seko Fofana (M)
• 13. Pablo Rosario (M)
• 10. Gabri Veiga (M)
• 7. William Gomes (F)
• 29. Terem Moffi (F)
• 17. Borja Sainz (F)

Substitutes:

• 14. Cláudio Ramos
• 24. João Costa
• 4. Jakub Kiwior
• 8. Victor Froholdt
• 11. Pepe
• 20. Alberto Costa
• 21. Dominik Prpić
• 22. Alan Varela
• 27. Deniz Gül
• 74. Francisco Moura
• 86. Rodrigo Mora
• 58. Tiago Silva

Nottingham Forest

Diagram: 4-2-3-1

CoachVitor Pereira

Starting lineup:

• 27. Stefan Ortega (G)
• 16. Nicolás Domínguez (D)
• 44. Zach Abbott (D)
• 5. Murillo (D)
• 4. Morato (D)
• 24. James McAtee (M)
• 22. Ryan Yates (M)
• 29. Dilane Bakwa (F)
• 10. Morgan Gibbs-White (M)
• 14. Dan Ndoye (F)
• 11. Chris Wood (F)

Substitutes:

• 26. Matz Sels
• 3. Neco Williams
• 7. Callum Hudson-Odoi
• 6. Ibrahim Sangaré
• 20. Lorenzo Lucca
• 19. Igor Jesus
• 21. Omari Hutchinson
• 31. Nikola Milenković
• 51. Archie Whitehall
• 61. Jimmy Sinclair
• 65. Justin Hanks
• 34. Ola Aina