Porto and Nottingham Forest face off in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League quarter-final at the Estádio do Dragão on Thursday, 9 April 2026. Kick-off set for 8pm, and below you can find our match preview and best bets for the occasion.
Best Bets & Predictions
Based on Nottingham Forest’s attacking numbers and Porto’s typically robust home displays, here are our top betting recommendations for this match.
| Our Prediction | Odds & Bookmaker | Confidence | Why We’re Backing It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Both Teams to Score – Yes | Bet365 & 19/20 (51.3%) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Forest have scored in every Europa League match this season (21 in 12) and Porto average 1.7 goals per game at home. Both sides rank above 1.5 goals per game, making BTTS a strong shout. The hosts have scored 2+ goals in six of the past eight and it would be no surprise to see them do so again. |
| Porto to Win & BTTS | Bet365 & 7/2 (22.2%) | ⭐⭐⭐ | Forest’s recent results have been encouraging, picking up wins against Midtjylland and Fenerbahce, but this is a completely different challenge. Porto at the Estádio do Dragão is a far tougher proposition, especially given how freely they’ve been scoring, with two or more goals in six of their last eight games tells its own story. Forest, meanwhile, haven’t always made the most of their chances, even if their last couple of away outings suggest things might be improving. |
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How both teams go into Porto vs Nottingham Forest
Porto are flying under Francesco Farioli. They sit top of Liga Portugal with a five point gap and are still fighting on multiple fronts, reaching the Europa League quarter finals and the Taca de Portugal semi finals. Their only recent setback was a narrow loss to Sporting, but the response has been strong with four wins and two draws in the next six.
At home, Porto have been dominant. They have lost just once at the Estadio do Dragao this season and have a perfect record there in the Europa League. With seven wins and two draws in the competition overall, they carry serious momentum into this clash with Nottingham Forest, even if their only defeat came against this same opponent.
Nottingham Forest beat Porto 2 0 earlier in the competition, one of their standout results in a difficult season. Their strongest performances have come in the Europa League, where they have edged past Fenerbahce and Midtjylland to reach the quarter finals, despite struggling for consistency domestically.
In the Premier League, Forest sit 16th and remain close to the relegation zone after a season of managerial changes. A 3 0 win over Tottenham before the break could be a turning point, and their recent away form has been solid, with just one defeat in their last five on the road and only one loss away in Europe.
Porto team news
Porto have problems up front with both Samu Aghehowa and Luuk de Jong ruled out, while Rodrigo Mora and Nahuen Perez are not certain to be available.
Nottingham Forest team news
Nottingham Forest have a number of absences, including Omari Hutchinson, Jair Cunha, Willy Bolly, Nicolo Savona, John Victor, Chris Wood, and Ola Aina.
Elliot Anderson is suspended, so Nicolas Dominguez and Ibrahim Sangare are expected to start in midfield.
Head-to-Head
Last 6 Meetings
These two sides have only met once in recent seasons, with Nottingham Forest coming out 2-0 winners at home earlier in this Europa League campaign.
| Date | Score | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 23/10/25 | Nottingham Forest 2-0 Porto | UEFA Europa League |
Will Porto hold firm at home or can Forest’s attack break through?
Forest have performed fairly well in Europe under Vito Pereira but they face a tough task here going to Portugal. The hosts have plenty of experience at this stage of European competition, and we fancy them to edge out the first leg, with both teams scoring at 7/2.
Odds correct at the time of writing. Please gamble responsibly.
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