Nottingham Forest are expected to be without defender Ola Aina for Thursday’s Europa League semi-final second leg against Aston Villa after the Nigeria international missed the club’s final training session before the match.
Forest travel to Villa Park aiming to secure a place in their first European final in 44 years, holding a narrow advantage after a 1-0 victory in the opening leg at the City Ground. Chris Wood scored the only goal of that game from the penalty spot to give the Premier League side the upper hand ahead of the return fixture.
However, preparations for the decisive encounter have been overshadowed by concerns surrounding Aina’s fitness.
The 29-year-old right-back suffered an injury during the first leg against Villa and was substituted in the 75th minute, with Zach Abbott replacing him. The injury appeared to be muscular, although Nottingham Forest manager Vitor Pereira has not publicly provided detailed information on the defender’s condition.
Aina’s absence from Forest’s squad for Monday’s 3-1 victory over Chelsea further increased doubts over whether he would recover in time for the semi-final.
Those concerns now appear to have been confirmed after Sky Sports reported that the Super Eagles defender did not take part in the club’s final training session before Thursday’s match.
His absence from training strongly suggests he will not be included in the squad for the trip to Villa Park, dealing a setback to Forest as they seek to protect their aggregate lead and progress to the final.
Aina has been regarded as one of Nottingham Forest’s standout performers this season and has played an important role in the club’s European campaign. The former Arsenal academy player featured in the first leg and delivered another composed defensive display before being forced off through injury.
Forest also have another Nigerian international in their squad, striker Taiwo Awoniyi, although Aina was the only Super Eagles player to feature in the opening match against Aston Villa.
Despite the defensive setback, Forest will still head into the second leg with confidence after their victory at the City Ground. Wood’s penalty has left Pereira’s side in a strong position as they attempt to complete the task away from home and move a step closer to European silverware.
Aston Villa, meanwhile, face the challenge of overturning the deficit in front of their own supporters at Villa Park. Forest will hope their disciplined defensive structure can withstand Villa’s pressure even without one of their key performers available.
The match represents a major opportunity for Nottingham Forest, who are attempting to reach a European final for the first time since their successes on the continental stage more than four decades ago.
While Aina’s expected absence is a significant concern for the visitors, Forest remain within touching distance of a landmark achievement and will be aiming to produce another positive result to continue their European journey.
