Preview:Real Betis vs Nottingham Forest - prediction, team news, lineups

Nottingham Forest will play their first European match in 29 years when they travel to Spain for Wednesday's Europa League meeting with Real Betis at La Cartuja.

Ange Postecoglou is searching for his first win as Forest boss, while Manuel Pellegrini's side are looking to claim back-to-back victories.

Match preview

Betis are competing in the Europa League after collecting 60 points from 38 matches to finish in sixth place in La Liga last term.

Los Verdiblancos will be dreaming of going one better than last season’s Conference League campaign, which saw them reach their first European final before losing 4-1 to Chelsea.

Over the next eight matchdays, the Andalusian side will lock horns with Forest, Ludogorets, Genk, Lyon, Utrecht and Dinamo Zagreb with the aim of reaching the knockout rounds.

They should enter their opening game against Forest in a positive mood after claiming a 3-1 victory in Saturday’s home clash with Real Sociedad, thanks to an own goal and efforts from Cucho Hernandez and Pablo Fornals.

Pellegrini’s side have now won two, drawn three and lost one of their six league matches this season, with their nine-point tally leaving them in sixth position.

With the Estadio Benito Villamarin undergoing redevelopment, Betis have made an encouraging start to their residency at La Cartuja, having won two of their first three home games this season (L1).

Los Verdiblancos can also take confidence from the fact that they have lost just one of their last 18 matches in the group stage or league phase of European competition (W11, D6).

Nottingham Forest are set to compete in European competition for the first time since being knocked out of the UEFA Cup quarter-final by Bayern Munich in 1995-96.

Nuno Espirito Santo was the man who ended Forest’s wait for European football, steering them to a seventh-placed finish and Conference League qualification last term, before they were upgraded to the Europa League following Crystal Palace’s demotion.

However, Nuno will not have the honour of overseeing Forest's return to Europe after being dismissed earlier this month following a breakdown in his relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis.

The East Midlands club have opted to replace the Portuguese coach with a Europa League-winning manager in Postecoglou, who will be looking to win the tournament in back-to-back seasons after guiding Tottenham Hotspur to the trophy last term.

Postecoglou's current objective will be to clinch his first win as Forest boss, having started his tenure with a three-game winless run that has included defeats to Arsenal and Swansea City in the Premier League and EFL Cup respectively.

Forest then had to settle for a point in Saturday's away clash with Burnley, after Nico Williams's saw his second-minute opener cancelled out by Jaidon Anthony.

The Tricky Trees have now gone five competitive matches without a win since they claimed a 3-1 home victory over Brentford on the opening day of the Premier League season, and they will head to Spain with aspirations of claiming their first away win of the season.

Real Betis form (all competitions):

D W D L D W

Nottingham Forest form (all competitions):

W D L L L D

Team News

Real Betis are unable to call upon playmaker Isco, who remains sidelined with an ankle injury that he sustained in pre-season.

Attacker Pablo Garcia is unavailable for selection, having been called up to the Spain squad for the Under-20 World Cup in Chile.

There are also doubts surrounding the availability of Diego Llorente, Ricardo Rodriguez and Nelson Deossa.

As for the visitors, they are expected to be without Nicolas Dominguez and Ola Aina due to injury, while Omari Hutchinson is ineligible after being left out of the Europa League squad.

Forest are hoping that Murillo will prove his fitness in time for Wednesday’s fixture after missing the last two matches with a knock.

If available, Murillo will partner Nikola Milenkovic in central defence, while Callum Hudson-Odoi is pushing for a starting spot after coming off the bench to play over half-an-hour in Saturday's draw with Burnley.

Real Betis possible starting lineup:

Valles; Bellerin, Bartra, Natan, Firpo; Fornals, Altimira; Antony, Lo Celso, Ezzalzouli; Cucho

Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:

Sels; Williams, Milenkovic, Murillo, Morato; Luiz, Anderson; Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood

We say: Real Betis 1-1 Nottingham Forest

Forest would love nothing more than to make a winning return to European competition, but they will be aware that they face a tough task as an away side against a strong La Liga team, and with that in mind, we think they may have to settle for a point in Wednesday's Europa League fixture.

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