Europa League Live Updates: Forest, Feyenoord, Celtic in Focus
Tonight’s action across the Europa League offers a night of high drama and tactical shifts as Nottingham Forest host Midtjylland, Feyenoord welcome Aston Villa to De Kuip, and Celtic play Braga. Alongside, Sturm Graz battle Rangers, while Aberdeen face Shakhtar Donetsk in a separate pursuit of European momentum. The evening is unfolding with goals, tactical tweaks and manager anxieties in equal measure.
Nottingham Forest 1-2 Midtjylland
Forest fans were left with a chaotic start as Midtjylland struck first. Diao finished from a corner after Sorensen set up the opener from a free kick, giving the Danish visitors a 1-0 lead at 18 minutes. Dan Ndoye responded minutes later with a sharp strike to level proceedings at 1-1, but Midtjylland soon reasserted control. Sorensen buried a loose ball from a set-piece to restore the away side’s lead at 22 minutes, and the tempo swung in the visitors’ favor as Forest tried to chase the result. The hosts were forced into changes, and a tense atmosphere surrounded the City Ground, with the stands vocal and the clock ticking toward a challenging night.
Sturm Graz 2-0 Rangers
Rangers faced a stern test in Austria as Sturm Graz moved two goals ahead early. An opening goal from Horvat deflected in off Rangers’ defender, before Kiteishvili increased the lead from a free-kick routine that exposed defensive gaps. The hosts took a 2-0 advantage into the break, putting pressure on Rangers’ structure and prompting commentary that this would be a stern European night for Russell Martin’s side. The visitors offered spurts of pressure, with Butland called into action by a few dangerous moments, but Sturm Graz held firm as the half concluded.
Ahead of the night: Feyenoord v Aston Villa
The evening lineup for Feyenoord against Villa showed familiar faces in a 4-3-3 shape for Feyenoord and a 4-3-3 for Villa. A notable late change saw Marco Bizot replace Emi Martínez in goal for Villa, prompting fans and pundits to reassess confidence in the visitors’ goalkeeping. In an illustrated moment of discipline, Anel Ahmedhodzic of Feyenoord picked up a booking for a late challenge on Ollie Watkins as VAR reviewed the contact before allowing play to continue. The opening exchanges were tight as both sides attempted to dictate the tempo, with Villa seeking to leverage counterattacks and Feyenoord pressing high to pin back their opponents.
Aberdeen 1-0 Shakhtar Donetsk (and other results)
Aberdeen kicked off with a promising moment as Karlsson converted from the penalty spot on 9 minutes to put Shakhtar on the back foot early. The match stayed tense as the visitors looked to respond and reassert, while Aberdeen pressed to extend their lead in a night that has already tested their resolve. Across the group, other results included Roma trailing Lille early, and Celtic drawing a line under Braga’s pressure later in the evening, another reminder of the varied fortunes within Europa League group stages.
Key manager quotes and mood on the night
As the night unfolded, several coaches offered candid takes on the challenges of European football. Ange Postecoglou reflected on the excitement of a deep European night, noting: “It’s an exciting night, the club has a rich European history and it’s an overdue return. We’re gonna need some energy tonight … they’ve got a big focus on set plays, they’re very direct. We’ve done our work to make sure we’re ready. But ultimately we’re at home, and we should be able to put the pressure on them.”
Rangers manager Russell Martin highlighted the need for unity and resilience: “We have to run together, work together, fight to the end. [Sturm Graz] are very good at what they do, so we have to try and utilise our strengths and hurt them if we can, by playing the way we want to.”
Unai Emery, speaking ahead of his team’s European test, stressed the ongoing process: “We are in a process but I am seeing an improvement, in how we are playing as a team. The Premier League is such a demanding league, we have to be so focused and consistent. Europe is always very difficult and we have our own experience with this. It’s a very good test for us today.”
What’s next on this European night?
With eight o’clock kick-offs underway, the late stages will bring further goals, saves and VAR debates as teams chase group-stage momentum. Chelsea’s European programmes continue to produce drama, and for fans of Forest, Feyenoord, Celtic and their rivals, the night remains unapologetically unpredictable.
