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  1. Sporting Braga 1-0 Nottingham Forest - send us your thoughtspublished at 23:02 GMT 22 January

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    Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

    What did you make of Forest's display?

    Come back on Friday for a selection of your replies

  2. Forest analysis: Dyche's men flop as play-offs loompublished at 22:40 GMT 22 January

    Sam Drury
    BBC Sport journalist

    Ryan YatesImage source, Getty Images

    Sean Dyche made seven changes to the Nottingham Forest XI from Saturday's draw against Arsenal, and much like the last time he made multiple changes - in their FA Cup exit at Wrexham - those brought in did little to boost their chance of more regular minutes.

    While the conditions did not help, the first 45 minutes were among the most forgettable of the season with Braga showing next to no ambition to attack and Forest unable to cause them any problems going the other way.

    The game livened up somewhat after the break but Morgan Gibbs-White failed to convert his penalty - his second failure from the spot in the Europa League this season - and Braga, with a bit of good fortune, immediately provided the sucker punch.

    Forest's defending left a lot to be desired, and once Ryan Yates' own goal gave Braga the lead, the hosts were more than happy to defend it.

    For all Forest pushed for a leveller, it was Braga who came closest to finding the game's second goal when substitute Pau Victor hit the inside of the post.

    Elliot Anderson, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Neco Williams were sent on to try to rectify the situation but, although there was added urgency in their play, the goal would not come.

    Yates had a goalbound header kept out by a last-ditch block, while on another day Ndoye might have earned Forest a second penalty after a careless challenge from former Wolves midfielder Joao Moutinho.

    But, ultimately, the English side did not do enough and face Ferencvaros at the City Ground next week needing to win and hope for the most unlikely sequence of results if they are to avoid the play-offs.

  3. Sporting Braga v Nottingham Forest: Team newspublished at 19:02 GMT 22 January

    Forest XI

    Sean Dyche has rung the changes for Nottingham Forest tonight in Portugal.

    He makes seven changes to the the XI that started Saturday's 0-0 draw against Arsenal.

    Only Matz Sels, Ola Aina, Nikola Milenkovic and Morgan Gibbs-White keep their places.

    Braga make six changes from their last league game.

    Braga XI: Hornicek, Lagerbielke, Niakate, Arrey-Mbi, Gomez, Grillitsch, Gorby, Martinez, Rodrigues, Ricardo Horta, Navarro.

    Subs: Tiago Sa, Bellarouch, Lelo, Carvalho, Joao Moutinho, Paulo Oliveira, Gabriel Moscardo, Victor, Dorgeles, da Rocha, Aragao, Vidigal.

    Nottingham Forest XI: Sels, Savona, Milenkovic, Morato, Aina, Bakwa, Yates, Douglas Luiz, McAtee, Ndoye, Gibbs-White.

    Subs: Gunn, Willows, Williams, Sangare, Hudson-Odoi, Anderson, Dominguez, Abbott, Whitehall, Thompson, Sinclair, Hammond.

    Braga XI
  4. Follow Thursday's Europa League games livepublished at 17:49 GMT 22 January

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    There are 18 games in the Europa League on Thursday, including two games involving Premier League clubs, and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

    • Fenerbahce v Aston Villa (17:45)

    • Braga v Nottingham Forest (20:00)

    Kick-off times GMT

    Follow all of the action and reaction here

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  5. Chelsea interested in Forest loanee Luizpublished at 16:58 GMT 22 January

    Nizaar Kinsella
    Football reporter

    Douglas Luiz in action for ForestImage source, Getty Images

    Chelsea are exploring a move to for midfielder Douglas Luiz, currently on loan at Nottingham Forest.

    The 27-year-old joined Forest from Juventus over the summer but has struggled for consistent game time under Sean Dyche.

    The Brazilian would add experience to Chelsea's squad and provide cover in midfield for the injured Romeo Lavia.

    The Blues have a positive relationship with Forest, who have given the former Aston Villa midfielder limited opportunities this season, while Juventus are incentivised to want improved game time for their loanee.

    Chelsea are in advanced talks over signing Sheffield Wednesday full-back Yisa Alao, 17, who is being lined up for a role in the academy teams rather than a first-team option.

    Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet remains a key target for the January window as the club look to strengthen their defensive options.

  6. Forest face striker challengepublished at 10:32 GMT 22 January

    David Jackson
    BBC Radio Nottingham reporter

    Sean DycheImage source, Getty Images

    "This was always going to happen."

    That was the view of one fan I spoke to this morning , reacting to the news that Igor Jesus had picked up an injury and hasn't travelled with the Forest squad to Braga.

    He was referring to the club's decision to allow Arnaud Kalimuendo to leave earlier this month, leaving the Reds with one fit and available striker for the final two league phase matches in the Europa League, Igor Jesus. Who's now injured.

    On Saturday against Arsenal, winger Dan Ndoye was brought off the bench to play up front late on and he's the most likely to play there from the start against Braga.

    And while he'll work hard, Forest will miss the hold-up play, strength and aerial ability of Jesus. Whether it was "always going to happen" or not, it has happened and now Sean Dyche finds himself in a tricky position to find goals from a team that has struggled for them, even with strikers on the pitch.

    Listen to the full episode on BBC Radio Nottingham/BBC Sounds

    Subscribe to the Shut Up And Show More Football podcast on BBC Sounds

  7. Dourekas: My best Nottingham Forest signingspublished at 09:00 GMT 22 January

    Nizaar Kinsella
    Chelsea reporter

    Former Forest recruiters Kyriakos Dourekas and Ross WilsonImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Former Forest recruiters Kyriakos Dourekas and Ross Wilson

    Former Nottingham Forest director of football Kyriakos Dourekas has reflected on his best signings during his six-year spell at the City Ground from 2018 to 2024.

    Dourekas joined Forest from Olympiacos, also owned by Evangelos Marinakis, and during his tenure the club won promotion to the Premier League in 2022 – their first top‑flight season in 23 years.

    Now at Neom, a new club created as part of Saudi Arabia's giga‑city project in the desert, Dourekas looked back on the signings he considered most important during his time at Forest.

    "All the players helped, but ones that stand out… Ryan Yates," Dourekas told BBC Sport. "He wasn't a signing, but could have been released or sent on loan. His passion was immense for us as a local academy boy.

    "Another was James Garner from Manchester United on an initial six-month loan. Then Stoke City offered a great proposal, but we eventually got him over the line again and his contribution was immense.

    "We wanted to buy him after promotion, but United wanted to keep him initially. We completed our roster and then, in the end, they were ready to sell him. It happens in football – the timing sometimes is not right.

    "There was Morgan (Gibbs‑White), Woody (Chris Wood), Djed Spence… all of those. Anthony Elanga, sold for £55m to Newcastle – an amazing one. And (Elliot) Anderson, who came after I left, another amazing one. He is one of the best players in England at his age."

    Despite Forest qualifying for Europe last season for the first time in 30 years, they sit 17th in the Premier League. However, Dourekas remains positive about the club's direction.

    "I believe the recruitment has been successful and will be in the future, as they have a great set‑up there," he said.

    Listen to the full episode on BBC Radio Nottingham/BBC Sounds

    Subscribe to the Shut Up And Show More Football podcast on BBC Sounds

    And explore all Forest content on BBC Sounds here

  8. Dyche on team news, difficult conditions, and Bragapublished at 09:00 GMT 22 January

    Karan Vinod
    BBC Sport journalist

    Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche has been speaking to the media before Thursday's Europa League game against Braga at Estadio Municipal de Braga (kick-off 20:00 GMT).

    Here are the key lines from his news conference:

    • On team news: "Igor Jesus has got a bit of a knock which is unfortunate so we're going to have to make a call on that one but he's not with us at the moment. We'll see how it settles down overnight. Murillo is here with us."

    • Dyche says because they were able to beat Porto earlier in the season, that doesn't make them favourites to beat Braga. He stated that "it's a challenging place to come to" and they are a "well coached" team, adding it's down to Forest's "mentality to come here take on the game and play with freedom".

    • On the conditions: "It's heavy [pitch] at the moment and like you say, a lot of rain forecast Thursday, so we'll have to wait and see, but it's heavy. I mean, it's playable at the moment, but it is quite saturated, but it's a good surface, so we hope it will take the rain however it comes, and you know, hopefully there's no problem with the game."

    • Dyche said that they would have "made some ground up" if they can clinch a top-eight spot and the "players have done very well" but reiterated that they have "got to take on every challenge that comes" and not take "any of these games for granted".

    • On Braga: "We've obviously done some analysis on on Braga, a team full of quality - a lot of technically gifted players. It's a very possession-based team. You know, it's something they keep the ball well and try to transfer it through the shape of the team. But not in a way that they're naïve."

    Follow all of Thursday's news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

  9. A season of injuries - how does your club rank?published at 08:33 GMT 22 January

    Matthew Hobbs
    BBC Sport journalist

    Injuries in the Premier League.
First number represents total days lost to injuries for a club.
Second number represents number of injuries for at least one day or more. Newcastle United
640
17
Fulham
377
14
Tottenham
625
19
Bournemouth
362
17
Arsenal
603
19
Liverpool
354
15
Chelsea
580
19
Manchester United
341
14
Brighton
514
17
Crystal Palace
339
15
Manchester City
512
16
West Ham United
302
12
Nottingham Forest
510
16
Everton
287
10
Aston Villa
432
16
Brentford
262
9
Leeds United
426
19
Sunderland
252
11
Wolves
380
14
Burnley
219
9

    From the Premier League's elite to the soggy pitches of Sunday league, injuries are part and parcel of football - but which top-flight teams have been worst affected so far this season?

    With help from injury expert Ben Dinnery, of premierinjuries.com,, external BBC Sport has examined which sides have been hit the hardest, the impact injuries can have on under-fire managers - and whether things are always as bad as they seem.

    Injuries in Premier League by club - source PremierInjuries.com Bournemouth
8
Brighton
4
Newcastle
7
Fulham
4
Crystal Palace
7
Arsenal
3
Tottenham
7
Leeds
3
Manchester City
7
Liverpool
3
Burnley
6
Manchester United
3
Everton
5
Nottingham Forest
3
Chelsea
4
Sunderland
2
Aston Villa
4
West Ham United
2
Brentford
4
Wolves
2
  10. Gossip: Tsimikas on Forest target listpublished at 07:59 GMT 22 January

    Gossip graphic

    Nottingham Forest will allow Brazilian left-back Cuiabano, 22, to leave on loan this month, with Liverpool's 29-year-old Greece full-back Kostas Tsimikas, currently on loan at Roma, among their list of targets. (Athletic - subscription required), external

    Forest have had an offer for Napoli defender Mathias Olivera rejected, but remain in talks for the 28-year-old Uruguay international. (Tuttomercatoweb - in Italian), external

    Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

    Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

  11. Dourekas 'misses' Forest amid exciting Neom movepublished at 16:57 GMT 21 January

    Nizaar Kinsella
    Football reporter

    Said Benrahma at his unveiling at Neom alongside Kyriakos Dourekas Image source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Neom have experienced options such as winger Said Benrahma (pictured) and midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure, alongside young overseas players and Saudi talent

    Former Nottingham Forest director of football Kyriakos Dourekas says he "misses" working with owner Evangelos Marinakis despite making what he calls an "exciting" move to Saudi club Neom.

    Dourekas joined Forest in 2018 from Olympiacos – also owned by Marinakis – and spent five years at the City Ground. He helped oversee Forest's return to the Premier League in 2022 after a 23-year absence from the top flight.

    Now at Neom, Dourekas reflected on his time working under Marinakis.

    "When Mr Marinakis wants something, it will happen, believe me," he told BBC Sport. "His ambition is so big. Whenever he has something in his mind, and it's his target, it will be done.

    "A great man, entrepreneur and leader. When I went there, I believed we could bring Nottingham Forest to the Premier League because I knew I had him as a leader."

    Dourekas said he felt the club's past glories – including their European Cup wins in 1979 and 1980 – had held back progress.

    "We were a little too much in the past. Players coming in didn't feel important, so we had a motto with Marinakis: 'We respect the past, but we create the future.' We wanted to create a Premier League future."

    He described a "collective" approach to recruitment involving Marinakis, his son Miltiadis, the data department and then director Ross Wilson.

    However, the opportunity to help build a team at Neom – a club being created for the ambitious Saudi Arabian mega‑project in the desert – was one he felt he had to take in July 2024.

    "I went to Marinakis and said I had an exciting new proposal. It was my sixth year and he had a strong staff in place.

    "We are building Neom as a club from the ground up. We only have one pitch – no buildings or infrastructure at all. Everything is built to help not just now, but to last.

    "We are building an academy, have the youngest team in the league and hope other clubs will follow our belief in developing Saudi players."

    Listen to the full episode on BBC Radio Nottingham/BBC Sounds

    Subscribe to the Shut Up And Show More Football podcast on BBC Sounds

    And explore all Forest content on BBC Sounds here