Mats Sels said the players should be very proud to have advanced to the semifinals.

Mats Sels said Nottingham Forest should be proud to have reached the Europa League semi-finals. However, the team is also keenly aware that they will face a tough test against Aston Villa at this stage.  

Nottingham Forest will host Premier League rivals Aston Villa in the first leg of their semi-final at the City Stadium this Friday, followed by the second leg at Villa Park next week. The winner of the two legs will advance to the final in Istanbul, where they will face either Braga of Portugal or Freiburg of Germany.  

This marks Nottingham Forest's first return to European competition since the 1995/96 season, when they reached the UEFA Cup quarterfinals. Mats Sels said, "The second leg will be away, and we know it will be a tough match. However, we will do our best to achieve a good result in the first leg at home, and then focus on the second leg to try and advance to the final."  

“We should all be proud of this, and I am very proud of this team and these players for making it to the semifinals.”  

Nottingham Forest are striving to improve their Premier League ranking while also making steady progress in European competitions. The team's goalkeeper emphasized that squad depth is crucial to achieving their goals on both fronts. He later stated, "Actually, we haven't focused too much on these things because our attention has always been on the Premier League relegation battle."  

“We are well aware of the importance of securing our league position, and our focus has been constantly adjusted throughout the season. The team has ample player reserves, so we have enough squad depth to compete. Of course, reaching the semi-finals is a very good thing for us, and it's an experience that not every player gets to go through.”  

"With only three games left to win the European title, we must give it our all and make history for the club, just like last season. Everything is in our own hands now. We have two tough matches against Aston Villa ahead, but let's see how Friday's game unfolds."  

Image source: Internet/Nottingham Forest official website