Vítor Pereira said Nottingham Forest have not given up on the Europa League, even as they try to manage the demands of a Premier League run-in and a quarterfinal against Fc Porto. The Forest manager said the squad must be handled carefully, but insisted the club remains alive in the competition and believes it can still reach the semi-finals.
“The management has to continue, but that doesn’t mean we have given up on the Europa League,” Pereira said on April 16. He said Nottingham Forest have an important Premier League match in four days and added that the team picked to face FC Porto would have the capacity to win. He also said the match could go to extra time.
The immediate concern for Forest is not only the European tie, but how to balance it against domestic demands. Pereira said the side needs to find a way to compete in both competitions and think about both games when choosing the starting eleven. He said the team must be balanced in energy so it can face Burnley in the best possible conditions.
Pereira also said Elliot Anderson did not train because of personal problems and that the club had to respect that. “He was not in training, he had personal problems and we have to respect that. For the game we will see,” he said. The manager did not say whether Anderson would be available.
For Pereira, the challenge is made harder by the opponent. He described FC Porto as a strong team in good form, one that plays with intensity, speed and pressure and demands physical readiness, duels and second balls. He said Porto arrive with the same intention as Forest: to compete and win.
The first leg finished 1-1, leaving the tie finely poised and placing even more weight on Thursday’s meeting. Pereira said it was a pleasure to be in charge and to face FC Porto in the Europa League, but his message was clear: Forest are trying to keep one eye on Europe without losing their grip on the league. What he chooses for the starting lineup will say whether that balance is sustainable.