Nottingham Forest's squad depth vs Vitória Guimarães' tight schedule: prediction for the Nottingham Forest vs Vitória Guimarães match — 26.07.2026
On Sunday, July 26, Nottingham Forest and Vitória Guimarães will face off in a friendly as part of their pre-season training camps in Portugal. The match is set to kick off at 15:00 Kyiv time and will be played behind closed doors. For the English side, this is another step under new head coach Oliver Glasner, while the Portuguese team is wrapping up an exceptionally packed week of action.
- Also read: Club friendly: Getafe vs Tenerife, July 22.
Nottingham Forest: attacking unit already finding its rhythm
Oliver Glasner’s team is gradually adapting to the demands of the new coaching staff. In their first two friendlies, the Tricky Trees downed Notts County 2-0 and thrashed Blackburn 3-0. That means the Premier League side opened their summer preparations with two wins, and have yet to concede a single goal.
The match against Blackburn was particularly telling. Igor Jesus, Arnaud Kalimuendo, and Taiwo Awoniyi all found the back of the net—three strikers sharing the minutes in the new season. After the break, Glasner completely refreshed the lineup, but Nottingham’s intensity and dominance remained intact.
This kind of squad depth is crucial in friendlies. Wholesale substitutions often disrupt the flow, but the English club can send on players of similar quality after halftime. That should be one of the main advantages for the favorites here.
Vitória Guimarães: strong results despite a heavy workload
Vitória are also making the most of their pre-season. In their first three friendlies, Tiago Margarido’s side beat Felgueiras 3-1, Penafiel 5-0, and Académica 2-0. The Portuguese squad netted ten goals, demonstrating that even with heavy rotation, their attacking options remain potent.
However, the fixture list is looking extremely congested. During the final stretch of their training camp, Vitória have scheduled games against União Leiria on July 22, Saudi side Al-Ahli on July 24, and then Nottingham Forest on July 26. That means the match against the English side will be their third in just five days, and their second in 48 hours. The coaching staff will almost certainly need to rotate heavily and give minutes to the reserves.
Further complicating matters, Telmo Arcanjo is still recovering from a hamstring injury and isn’t expected back until late July.
Probable lineups
With the match behind closed doors and heavy rotation expected, the starting elevens could change significantly.
- Nottingham Forest: Sels — Aina, Milenković, Morato, Williams — Yates, Domínguez — McAtee, Gibbs-White, Igor Jesus — Kalimuendo.
- Vitória Guimarães: Charles — Maga, Nóbrega, Rivas, João Mendes — Mitrović, Beni, Gonçalo Nogueira — Gustavo Silva, Nélson Oliveira, Alioune Ndoye.
The current squads allow both managers to completely reshuffle their attacking lines during the match: Forest have Kalimuendo, Awoniyi, and Igor Jesus at their disposal, while Vitória can call on Nélson Oliveira, Gustavo Silva, Alioune Ndoye, and Dieu-Merci Michel.
Match facts
- Nottingham Forest have won both pre-season matches with a combined score of 5-0.
- Vitória scored ten goals in their first three friendlies.
- The Portuguese club will play three matches in five days.
- Nottingham scored three goals against Blackburn, each by a different striker.
- These teams have never faced each other before.
Fresh legs and squad depth should decide it: Nottingham Forest vs Vitória Guimarães prediction
Vitória have looked sharp in pre-season and will almost certainly pose more problems for Forest than their previous opponents. The Portuguese side are strong on the flanks, have several options through the middle, and already look in decent form.
Still, the fixture congestion should be the deciding factor. Just 48 hours before meeting Forest, Margarido’s team will have faced Al-Ahli, so their key players are unlikely to play the full 90 minutes. Frequent changes could really take a toll after halftime.
Nottingham Forest, by contrast, have much more scope for like-for-like rotation. Glasner can spread minutes among several quality forwards, and the opening matches have already shown the English team’s strong physical condition.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest win.
