Nottingham Forest in the semi-finals: The dream of Istanbul grows stronger with Pereira

In the second leg of the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals, Nottingham Forest pulled off a major surprise by defeating Porto 1-0 at home. Having drawn 1-1 with their opponent in the first leg, the English side secured their spot in the next round with a goal from Morgan Gibbs-White in the 12th minute. Jan Bednarek's red card in the 8th minute made the task even more difficult for the Portuguese side.

On the road to the final, Nottingham Forest will face their tough rivals Aston Villa in the semi-finals. In the other semi-final pairing, Braga and Freiburg will face off. The first legs of both ties will be played on Thursday, April 30. The return legs will take place on May 7.

The excitement of the final in the UEFA Europa League, considered one of the most prestigious organizations in European football, will be held in Istanbul this year. The winning teams will take the pitch on May 20 at Beşiktaş Park to lift the giant trophy.

This success by Nottingham Forest, managed by Portuguese coach Vitor Pereira, has added a new dimension to both their fight to stay in the Premier League and their performance on the European stage. Fans have begun to dream of playing in a final in Istanbul after a long hiatus.

News Source: 12punto