<p>Forest will host the first leg between these two Premier League clubs at the City Ground, with the game scheduled for Friday, May 1, at 06:00 AEST.</p><h2>&nbsp;</h2><h2>Quick Picks</h2><p><strong>Our pick:</strong> Aston Villa to win</p><p><strong>Value bet:</strong> Aston Villa to win 2-1</p><p><strong>Long shot:</strong> No in the BTTS</p><h2>&nbsp;</h2><h2>Betting Preview</h2><p>These two teams know each other very well; in fact, they don't like each other all that much, either. They are located within close proximity to each other geographically, with both in England's Midlands area.</p><p>Still, they've had contrasting fortunes in this year's Premier League. Unai Emery's Villa side have been competing for a place in the UEFA Champions League for most of the season; Vitor Pereira's Forest have been fighting to remain in the division, with the Portuguese boss their fourth of the season. For those looking to understand <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/how-to-bet-europa-league">how to bet on the Europa League</a>, this semi-final clash offers plenty of intrigue.</p><p>When looking at the Europa League, both teams have had solid campaigns. Forest have struggled at times, having had four defeats in 14 games. In the quarter-finals, they managed to defeat Porto 2-1 on aggregate, winning 1-0 at home in the second leg. They have the joint-leading goal scorer in their ranks, with Igor Jesus netting seven and starting to find some form domestically.</p><p>Aston Villa reached the last four by defeating Bologna, and did so with a level of quality. Already holding a 3-1 victory in the first leg in Italy, they returned to Villa Park to win 4-0 and 7-1 on aggregate. Of the twelve games they've played in Europe, they've lost just once and won the other 11.</p><h2>&nbsp;</h2><h2>Betting Markets to Watch</h2><p>Nottingham Forest have been made early favourites to win this game, but we think this means there's <strong>value in Aston Villa to edge it as the perceived underdog.</strong></p><p>Forest have had struggles at home in this competition, and with trouble at the bottom of the <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/soccer/united-kingdom/english-premier-league">Premier League</a> still existing, there may be some distractions. They will come into the game with an extra day's rest compared to the Villains, but Emery has experience winning this tournament and will want to do so again.</p><p>There's <strong>long shot value in the BTTS not hitting</strong>, as the 'Both Teams to Score' market has failed to hit in five of Forest's last six Europa League home matches. Additionally, we think there's <strong>long shot value in the 'Under 1.5 Goals' market</strong>, as it has hit in each of Forest's last two Europa League matches in England.</p><h2>&nbsp;</h2><h2>Our Prediction</h2><p>Check the latest <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/soccer/uefa-competitions/uefa-europa-league/nottm-forest-v-aston-villa-10383602">Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa betting odds</a> at Sportsbet.</p><p>We think the <strong>most likely outcome is an Aston Villa win as underdogs</strong>. Both clubs have been battling in <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/soccer/united-kingdom/english-premier-league">English Premier League betting</a> markets all season, but Villa's European pedigree under Emery gives them the edge here.</p><p>Our value bet is that <strong>Aston Villa win 2-1</strong>, as both teams are capable of scoring but struggle to keep clean sheets. For more insights on betting strategies, check out our <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/premier-league-betting-guide">Premier League betting guide</a>.</p>