Credit: Imago

Harri Burton

Wed 8 April 2026 20:00, UK

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Chris Wood and Jair Cunha have handed Nottingham Forest a timely boost ahead of their Europa League clash with FC Porto.

Vitor Pereira’s side have a very real chance of European glory, despite battling against relegation in the Premier League, but Porto stand in the way between them and the semi-finals.

The Tricky Trees must first travel to the Estadio Do Dragao on Thursday, 9 April, in the quarter-final first leg, and two injury returns have just delivered a huge boost to the team’s chances of advancing.

Forest have been frustrated by injuries during the 2025-26 campaign, holding them back in key moments, but that could be about to change as Pereira welcomes back two big names.

Chris Wood and Jair Cunha can have huge impacts vs Porto

With the footage released on social media by the club’s official account, Wood and Cunha were spotted boarding the plane to Portugal, both of whom could play a vital role.

It is not just a huge boost to Forest’s European aspirations, but it could also help them to survive the drop in the Premier League, given that the team are currently sitting just three points above the bottom three.

Despite being sidelined since October, Wood remains the Reds’ joint-third-highest goalscorer in the league, only bettered by Morgan Gibbs-White, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Igor Jesus.

And although Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo are likely to partner up in the backline, Cunha is already miles better than Morato, and has more experience than 19-year-old Zach Abbott.

Nottingham Forest already planning for the future

With remaining games against Burnley and Sunderland, before some huge clashes, Forest have every chance of staying in the division, but it’s certainly not guaranteed.

That is why it’s difficult for the club to begin forging transfer plans ahead of the summer, but Evangelos Marinakis clearly doesn’t want to waste any time with only weeks left of the season.

Football Insider understands that Forest are eyeing a deal for Davide Frattesi from Inter Milan, with the midfielder long linked with a move away following his permanent arrival in 2024.

With Elliot Anderson likely to join Man City this summer, the Reds will be in desperate need of a replacement, and the 26-year-old midfielder is a decent choice.