Matchday 2 of the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League group stage between Nottingham Forest (England) and Midtjylland (Denmark) will take place on October 2 at the City Ground. Nottingham Forest vs. Midtjylland: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Nottingham Forest
The English club drew in their first match after nearly 30 years away from European competition, sharing the spoils with Real Betis in a 2-2 draw in the opening round. However, Nottingham Forest has yet to impress its fans this season, currently on a seven-match winless run in official competitions (3 draws, 4 losses). Their only victory came in the Premier League opener against Brentford (3-1) back on August 17. Moreover, the once formidable home side has been struggling, losing 6 of their last 8 home matches in the Premier League and the English League Cup (1 win, 1 draw).
- The team has failed to keep a clean sheet in 17 consecutive official matches.
- At home, the club has failed to score in 6 of their last 8 matches in the Premier League and the English League Cup.
- No more than 2 goals have been scored in 9 of Nottingham Forest's last 12 home matches in the Premier League and the English League Cup.
Predicted lineup for Nottingham Forest (4-5-1)
Matz Sels – Oleksandr Zinchenko, Morato, Nikola Milenkovic, Neco Williams – Callum Hudson-Odoi, Elliot Anderson, Douglas Luiz, Morgan Gibbs-White – Igor Jesus.
Defenders Oleksandr Zinchenko, Ola Aina, and midfielder Douglas Luiz are injured.
Midtjylland
The Danish side began with a home victory over Sturm Graz in the group stage, winning 2-0. This win marked Midtjylland's fifth consecutive triumph in the second-tier European competition, including qualification matches, with clean sheets in their last four games. Their unbeaten run in the Europa League has now extended to seven matches (5 wins, 2 draws). However, away from home, Midtjylland has not been as flawless in the second-tier European competition, failing to win in 4 of their last 7 matches (1 draw, 3 losses).
- At least one opponent failed to score in 5 of Midtjylland's last 6 Europa League matches.
- The club has scored at least twice in 5 consecutive matches in this tournament.
- Midtjylland has scored in 8 of their last 11 away matches in the Europa League.
Predicted lineup for Midtjylland (3-4-3)
Elias Olafsson – Usman Diao, Lee Han Bum, Mads Bech Sorensen – Kevin Mbabu, Pedro Bravo, Philip Billing, Denil Castillo – Cho Gue-sung, Junior Brumado, Franculino Djú.
Goalkeeper Ovie Ejaria is still recovering from injury.
Referee
Willy Delajod (France)
Matches – 8 (International matches, 2024/25–2025/26);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 29;
Average yellow cards per match – 3.6;
Red cards shown – 1;
Average fouls per match – 25;
Penalties – 50%.
Nottingham Forest vs. Midtjylland: Match Prediction
Despite their poor start to the season, the English team has shown that they will approach European matches with utmost seriousness. Nottingham Forest nearly secured a victory in Seville during the first round, with experienced Betis only equalizing in the 85th minute at home. I am confident that the English side will approach their first home match with even greater motivation and determination. The Nottingham crowd has not witnessed European battles for nearly 30 years. At home, Nottingham Forest is a formidable force, ranking seventh among the best home teams in last season's Premier League, remaining unbeaten in 14 of 19 matches (9 wins, 5 draws).
Moreover, the hosts will be eager to end their current seven-match winless streak in official competitions. For the visitors, this is just another European match. The Herning club has become accustomed to playing on the European stage in recent years, but they have not achieved significant success. In the previous Europa League campaign, Midtjylland finished only 20th in the group stage, losing 3 of their 4 away matches (1 win). Additionally, the hosts have more recovery time, having played their Premier League match on Saturday, while the Danes play their domestic league match on Monday evening.
I predict that the hosts' immense motivation will be the key factor influencing the outcome of this upcoming match. The Nottingham side, hungry for victories, should delight their fans with a win after such a long absence from the European stage. As shown in the first round, Ange Postecoglou's team is more than capable of achieving this. My prediction – Nottingham Forest Victory
* The starting lineup for each team is based on their previous match in this tournament.
