EUROPEAN CROSSROADS: Nottingham Forest’s Quest for the Top 8 as Sean Dyche Eyes Historic Braga Breakthrough
By 247sportcity | Wednesday, January 21, 2026
BRAGA, PORTUGAL – Nottingham Forest stand on the precipice of a defining moment in their European resurgence. As they travel to the Estádio Municipal de Braga this week, the mission is clear: secure a historic away victory and claw their way into the automatic qualification spots for the UEFA Europa League knockout rounds.
Under the steely guidance of Sean Dyche, “The Reds” have transformed into a defensively robust unit on the continent, yet the final hurdle of the league phase remains their most difficult challenge yet.
The Table: The Sprint for the Top 8
Forest currently occupy 11th place in the Europa League standings. While they are safely within the play-off zone, the ultimate goal remains a top-eight finish to avoid the grueling extra play-off round.
| Current Standings (Top 12) | Team | Qualification Status |
| 1st – 8th | Braga, Ferencvaros, etc. | Direct to Round of 16 |
| 9th – 11th | Nottingham Forest | Play-off Round (Seeded) |
| 12th+ | Fenerbahce, etc. | Play-off Round |
Forest’s destiny lies in their own hands with just two games remaining. Following the trip to Portugal, they will host Ferencvaros at the City Ground next week. Both opponents currently sit in the top eight, meaning a victory for Forest would likely see them leapfrog their rivals into the automatic qualification spots.
The Dyche Evolution: Tactical Stability
Since replacing Ange Postecoglou, Sean Dyche has brought a pragmatic edge to Forest’s European campaign.
- The Defensive Shift: Under Postecoglou, the Reds conceded five goals in just two matches. In contrast, Dyche’s side has surrendered only a single goal across four games.
- The Record: Forest have only tasted defeat once in the entire competition—a 3-2 loss to FC Midtjylland earlier in the season. Since Dyche’s arrival, the club remains unbeaten in Europe.
- Historical Potential: If Forest defeat Braga, Dyche will become the first Englishman in history to win four of his opening five matches in the Europa League.
Squad Turmoil: The Wrexham Fallout & Transfer Moves
Team selection for the Braga clash has been clouded by internal tension following a shock FA Cup defeat to Wrexham.
“Dyche has mixed it up in European games… but many of these players were publicly criticised by Dyche for their performances at Wrexham.”
The Key Selection Dilemmas:
- Oleksandr Zinchenko: The Arsenal loanee was singled out for a poor performance in the cup and is currently linked with a move away from the club this January window.
- The Striker Crisis: Following Arnaud Kalimuendo’s loan move to Eintracht Frankfurt, Forest find themselves desperately thin up front. Igor Jesus remains the only registered striker in the European squad.
- The Ndoye Option: Dyche may be forced to experiment with Dan Ndoye in a central role—a tactic glimpsed briefly in their recent clash against Arsenal.
The Portuguese Challenge: Breaking the Away Curse
Forest are hunting for back-to-back away wins in Europe—a feat they haven’t achieved with regularity in decades. Their recent victory in the Netherlands was their first European away win since 1995, breaking a nearly 31-year hoodoo.
While home form has been stellar—with highlights including a 2-0 win over Porto and a victory against Malmo—away days have been more volatile. A late Antony equalizer denied them a win at Real Betis, and a missed Morgan Gibbs-White penalty resulted in a stalemate against Sturm Graz.
The Verdict: Can Forest Avoid the Play-offs?
Mathematically, Forest need at least one win from their final two games to guarantee progression, but they are aiming higher. Avoiding further fixture congestion in an already packed Premier League schedule is the priority.
If Dyche can navigate the hostile atmosphere in Braga and secure a result against the side currently 5th in the Portuguese league, Forest fans will truly start to believe that this European journey has no limits.