Nottingham Forest have a big City Ground double-header this week with games against Porto and Burnley
10:39, 08 Sep 2025Updated 13:26, 14 Apr 2026
Nottingham Forest defender Jair Cunha goes down injured against Midtjylland(Image: PA)
Nottingham Forest made a positive start to a big week by claiming an important point at the City Ground, and now their aim is to build on that result.
Neco Williams’ equaliser clinched a 1-1 draw for the Reds against Aston Villa on Sunday. With six games left to play, Vitor Pereira’s side are three points above the Premier League relegation zone.
The Forest head coach was pleased with the fight and spirit of his team against Villa. They will need to show the same again in two huge home games in the coming days.
On Thursday, Porto are the visitors Trentside for the second leg of a Europa League quarter-final delicately poised at 1-1. A few days’ later, on Sunday, Burnley come to the City Ground for a crucial league clash. Ahead of those matches, below is a look at the Reds’ current injury state of play…
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Jair Cunha
Injury: Foot.
What we know: Less than 10 minutes into last month’s 1-0 Europa League defeat to Midtjylland, the Brazilian limped off. He had been passed fit to feature, despite being absent from training the previous day due to an unspecified problem, but then appeared to roll his ankle early on at the City Ground and was unable to continue. He has not featured since then but did travel to Portugal with his teammates last week for the quarter-final first leg against Porto.
What has been said: “We have almost solved the situation,” Pereira said of the centre-back prior to last Thursday’s Porto clash. “But not yet for this game.”
Nicolo Savona
Injury: Knee.
What we know: The full-back was an unused substitute in Forest’s 2-0 win over Brentford at the end of January but has not been involved since. The club wanted to let the issue settle down before considering the next steps, but it was subsequently decided surgery would be the best course of action.
Savona underwent an operation the day before the Reds’ 2-2 draw with Manchester City. There is a question mark over whether he will play again this season.
What has been said: “He had his surgery,” Pereira has said. “I don’t know if he can play again this season.”
After undergoing surgery, Savona posted a picture on social media of himself in a hospital bed giving the thumbs up sign. He wrote: “See you back on the pitch soon!”
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John Victor
Injury: Knee.
What we know: Immediately after he made a terrible mistake for Aston Villa’s third goal in their 3-1 triumph over Forest at Villa Park in January, the Brazilian goalkeeper indicated he had suffered a problem. He was visibly upset when he was substituted soon after, being replaced by Sels for the final minutes in the West Midlands.
John subsequently underwent surgery and he is expected to miss the remainder of the campaign. The club moved quickly to sign Stefan Ortega from Manchester City before the winter transfer window closed to bolster their keeper ranks.
What has been said: Pereira has not spoken about John. However, predecessor Sean Dyche previously said: “He’s going to be out for a while. It’s an unfortunate one.
“We weren’t sure how serious it was when he did it at Villa. It was serious enough to keep him out for a while.”
Willy Boly
Injury: Knee.
What we know: The defender last pulled on the Garibaldi in September, as a substitute against Real Betis. He was not included in the Reds’ updated 25-man Premier League squad following the closure of the winter transfer window and was also left out of their revised Europa League group. Out of contract in the summer, Boly may well have played his last game for the club.
What has been said: “He’s injured,” Dyche had said of Boly. “We took him out of the squad because we have got to bring a freshness to it.
“I spoke to him at length. He’s a brilliant fella and a brilliant pro, without a shadow of a doubt.
“He knows, he understands. It’s his knee, he was struggling a bit with it but was getting on with it and seeing if he could take it further. It’s just too much at the minute so he’s recovering from that. But he’s been great and is a top pro.”
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