Nottingham Forest manager Vitor Pereira praised his players after a hard-fought 1-0 win over Aston Villa in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League semi-final.
Forest secured the advantage at home thanks to a penalty converted by striker Chris Wood, the only goal in a tightly contested clash between the two Premier League sides.
The result marks another strong outing under Pereira, who was brought in to steady a turbulent 2025 to 2026 season that saw both Sean Dyche and Ange Postecoglou dismissed.
Speaking to TNT Sports, Pereira commended his side’s discipline and resilience, expressing pride in their performance as they take a slim lead into the second leg.
“We changed the players but kept the spirit. The mentality to try to win games. The supporters, fantastic, they help us a lot. Next time we face a big battle.”
“For me it’s an honour to manage this club, to try to help these payers, to see the smiles on the faces of these supporters. I am proud we played in our way, pressing high but if they attack then reorganise team in a block. Tactically, we did what we should. I am very proud of my players” Pereira said.
