Nottingham Forest Returns To Europa League As Postecoglou Seeks First Win Against Real Betis

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Nottingham Forest are back in European competition after a 29-year hiatus. Last season, under Nuno Espirito Santo, they were close to securing a Champions League spot but ended up seventh, earning a Conference League place. However, they moved to the Europa League after Crystal Palace, the FA Cup winners, were demoted by UEFA. Ange Postecoglou now leads Forest, seeking his first win with the team.

Real Betis finished sixth in LaLiga last season, securing their Europa League spot. They also reached the Conference League final but lost 4-1 to Chelsea. Despite this setback, Betis remain formidable opponents. Their home ground is under renovation, so they'll play at Estadio La Cartuja de Sevilla against Forest.

This match marks the first official meeting between Betis and Forest. They played a pre-season friendly in July 2018, where Betis won 1-0. Historically, Betis have struggled against English teams in Europe, losing seven out of nine matches. Forest's only previous encounter with a Spanish club was a heavy 7-1 defeat to Valencia in the Fairs Cup in 1961-62.

The Opta supercomputer predicts a tight game on Wednesday. Forest have a slight edge with a 38.2% chance of winning according to simulations. Betis have a 35.7% chance of victory, while a draw occurred in 26.1% of simulations. For the tournament overall, Forest are third favourites to win at 10%, behind Aston Villa and Roma.

In May's Conference League final against Chelsea, Betis initially led through Abde Ezzalzouli but ultimately lost due to Chelsea's strong second-half performance. Isco was pivotal last season with five goal involvements but is currently injured with a broken leg. Giovanni Lo Celso has stepped up with one goal and two assists this season.

Cucho Hernandez is another key player for Betis, having scored twice since joining from Columbus Crew. He leads the team with an expected goals (xG) tally of 1.6 and has taken 21 shots so far this season. Pablo Fornals boasts an impressive shot conversion rate of 28.6%, scoring two goals from seven attempts.

Postecoglou's Challenge

Ange Postecoglou's tenure at Tottenham ended despite winning the Europa League last season due to poor Premier League results. His start at Forest hasn't been smooth either; he remains winless after three games and an EFL Cup exit. In the Premier League, he hasn't won in nine matches (D2 L7), his longest streak without victory as a top-flight manager.

Forest's defence was crucial last season with Matz Sels sharing the Golden Glove award for clean sheets alongside Arsenal’s David Raya. This season has been different; they haven't kept any clean sheets yet and have conceded nine goals already.

Players to Watch

Real Betis - Antony: Antony joined Betis permanently from Manchester United after a successful loan spell last season where he contributed 14 goals across all competitions (nine goals and five assists). He matched Robert Lewandowski’s goal involvement tally during that period.

Nottingham Forest - Callum Hudson-Odoi: With Omari Hutchinson excluded from the Europa League squad by Nuno Espirito Santo, Hudson-Odoi becomes vital for Forest’s attack. He leads chance creation alongside Elliot Anderson but has yet to register an assist this term despite scoring once in the Premier League.

Pellegrini hopes Betis can leverage their strong home record against European teams despite playing away from their usual ground due to renovations. They’ve lost just one of their last 18 major European home games during group stages or league phases.

The upcoming clash promises excitement as both teams aim for success in their Europa League campaign opener at Estadio La Cartuja de Sevilla.