The Blues go into the match sitting fifth, just one point clear of Forest in seventh. A win will clinch a return to Europe’s top table for the visitors, while Forest will need to win and see either Newcastle or Aston Villa drop points if they are to realise their own Champions League ambitions.
The match also marks Chelsea’s last run out ahead of next week’s Conference League final against Real Betis, posing a selection conundrum for Enzo Maresca, who may be forced to rest key players ahead of the trip to Wroclaw, with just three days separating the matches.
Forest’s previously strong claim to a Champions League berth has faded in recent weeks, though they are guaranteed to be playing some form of European football next term. They sat comfortably third in the table from late December through to early April, but have wavered of late, winning just two of their last seven league outings.
A win over West Ham last time out, though, may be enough to reverse their fortunes and boost momentum ahead of the season finale.
Date, kick-off time and venue
Nottingham Forest vs Chelsea is scheduled for a 4pm BST kick-off time today on Sunday May 25, 2025.
The match will take place at the City Ground in Nottingham.
Where to watch Nottingham Forest vs Chelsea
TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on Sky Sports Main Event.
Live stream: Sky Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Sky Go app.
Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog, with expert analysis from Malik Ouzia at the ground.
Free highlights: The Sky Sports app and YouTube channel will show highlights from full time, with Match of the Day broadcasting on BBC One at 10:30pm.
Nottingham Forest vs Chelsea team news
Having struggled with injury for much of this campaign, Murillo is again chasing a return to fitness as he deals with an ankle issue, but Nuno Espirito Santo is confident he will be able to feature. The only other absence for the hosts is Eric da Silva Moreira.
For the Blues, Jadon Sancho will return to contention after missing last week’s match against Manchester United as he was ineligible to face his parent club.
Chelsea are also boosted by the returns of Christopher Nkunku and Marc Guiu to training, but it is unclear whether either will be ready to feature in Nicolas Jackson’s absence, the Senegalese striker still serving a red card suspension.
Omari Kellyman and Wesley Fofana are both still out and not expected to feature again until next season, while Mykhailo Mudryk remains unavailable. Aaron Anselmino is also injured.
Nottingham Forest vs Chelsea prediction
If this season has taught us anything about Chelsea, it is that they are fallible, as seen in Conference League losses to Servette and Legia Warsaw.
They have been strong in the run-in, losing just one of their last eight league fixtures (W5 D2), but suffered a major setback as they lost 2-0 to Newcastle and saw Jackson sent off. Avoiding another defeat in Nottingham is crucial.
As Maresca will be judged entirely on whether or not he qualifies for the Champions League, these are three points he cannot afford to drop.
Whether he can rally his side remains to be seen, but the players will know exactly what is on the line and should be trusted to rise to the occasion.
Head to head (h2h) history and results
The reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge ended in a 1-1 draw, with goals coming courtesy of Noni Madueke and Chris Wood.
Nottingham Forest wins: 22
Nottingham Forest vs Chelsea match odds
Nottingham Forest to win: 12/5
Odds via Betfair (subject to change).
