Barry Bannan on Sheffield Wednesday's ‘Champions League' this weekend

Sheffield Wednesday don’t want to be fighting for their lives at the wrong end of the Championship table. But with only two matches left, fighting they are.
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Nottingham Forest are the visitors to Hillsborough this afternoon and arrive knowing Wednesday have little option but to win the game.

Fail to better Derby’s result at Swansea and they are down. A positive result could see the Owls travel to Pride Park on the last day for a straight-up shootout for survival.

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“Listen, no one wants to be in a relegation fight and you don't want to be playing in a game to get relegated,” Wednesday skipper Barry Bannan said this week.

Sheffield Wednesday talisman Barry Bannan knows they have an important game this weekend.Sheffield Wednesday talisman Barry Bannan knows they have an important game this weekend.
Sheffield Wednesday talisman Barry Bannan knows they have an important game this weekend.

“But if we do stay up and win the game, I will be celebrating it like it's winning the Champions League to be honest.

“But, let's be honest, you don't want to be playing in a relegation game.

“We shouldn't be here but we are.”

Forest arrive having steered their way from trouble after a torrid start to the season. Chris Hughton took over in October and has again shown himself to be a safe pair of hands.

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Noises coming from the away camp suggest that despite their fierce rivalry with Derby, there is no suggestion that they will cruise through the Wednesday fixture. Having lost only one of their last seven matches, Hughton has expressed a desire to finish the season with two wins.

Bannan is under no illusions his side have a tough task ahead of them.

“We have got to concentrate on Forest and not look that far ahead,” he said. “It's going to be a tough, tough game against a top team.

“I think a lot of people will be overlooking Forest but they are a top team and will be coming to do a job.

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“We need to concentrate on Forest and forget about everything at the minute. The only thing we can affect is the game on Saturday.

“Forest will be out to get a result and it will be tough because they are a good team.

“They have got good players so we need to be at our best and take it from there.”

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