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Nottingham Forest host Fenerbahce at the City Ground in the second leg of their Europa League knockout play-off on Thursday night.
New boss Vítor Pereira oversaw a 3-0 demolition job in Istanbul, putting Nottingham Forest firmly in control of the tie. Now comes the test of professionalism.
Forest must now see out the job against a wounded lion eager to atone for a poor first leg performance while conserving their energy for the league.
The stage is set for what should be an enthralling European encounter between two sides with a point to prove.
Match preview
Forest were dominant in Turkey. Finally, one of Murillo’s slaloming runs paid off, Igor Jesus doubled the lead before Morgan Gibbs-White added gloss before the break.
The Tricky Trees were controlled, clinical, and ruthless.
Surprisingly, Forest could not find that edge as they suffered a 1-0 stoppage-time defeat to Liverpool at the weekend.
That loss left Forest 17th in the Premier League, just two points above the drop zone.
Pereira has already warned against treating Thursday as a formality.
Forest can lose by two goals and still progress, but the message from the new head coach is not to drop the level.
Match stats
Forest are chasing a third consecutive major European win for the first time since 1983/84.
Meanwhile, Fenerbahce must defy history. They have never overturned a first-leg defeat in 26 previous European knockout ties.
Their 14-game unbeaten away run across all competitions will give them confidence.
Forest must manage the occasion. The Reds have kept clean sheets in their last three home Europa League matches, which bodes well.
They have scored 18 goals in this season’s competition, their highest tally in Europe since 1978/79.
Igor Jesus is the joint-top scorer in the Europa League this season with seven goals, averaging a strike every 54 minutes in the competition.
It is also worth noting that Fenerbahce have won just one of their last 10 European away matches in England.
Nottingham Forest team news
Chris Wood, Matz Sels, John Victor, Nicolo Savona and Willy Boly remain sidelined, while Luca Netz is ineligible.
Pereira has hinted at rotation but will not risk the balance.
Several key players, including Gibbs-White, Elliot Anderson and Jesus, are one booking away from suspension.
Jesus may again lead the line after his European brilliance, though January signing Lorenzo Lucca, 25, is pushing for a start.
Morgan Gibbs-White’s influence between the lines remains crucial, but there is a case for managing his minutes. ‘Special player’ James McAtee could start while he rests.
Nottingham Forest predicted XI (4-2-3-1)
Stefan Ortega; Ola Aina, Nikola Milenkovic, Murillo, Neco Williams; Elliot Anderson, Ibrahima Sangare; Callum Hudson-Odoi, James McAtee, Omari Hutchinson; Lorenzo Lucca.