Ola Aina remains a major doubt for Nottingham Forest ahead of their Europa League semi final second leg against Aston Villa, with manager Vitor Pereira facing mounting injury concerns during a crucial stage of the season.
The Nigeria international missed Forest’s 3-1 Premier League win over Chelsea on Monday, a result that moved the club further away from relegation danger with only three league matches left.
However, attention has now shifted to Thursday’s European clash, where Forest will attempt to protect a narrow first leg advantage and move closer to a place in the Europa League final.
Providing an update before the match, Pereira confirmed that Aina remains unavailable alongside several other first team players.
“We are without Ola, without Sangare, without Murillo and without Dan Ndoye,” Pereira told reporters. “Jair still has a problem, but he is fighting to help the team.”
Forest’s injury list has grown significantly in recent weeks, reducing Pereira’s options during one of the busiest periods of the campaign. Callum Hudson-Odoi has already been ruled out for the rest of the season, while Ibrahim Sangaré, Murillo and Dan Ndoye are also sidelined.
Further problems emerged during the victory over Chelsea after defender Zach Abbott suffered concussion symptoms and midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White picked up a facial injury.
Pereira admitted the growing injury crisis has limited his tactical flexibility.
“For me it was not difficult to choose the starting team because I do not have many solutions,” he said. “What keeps us going is the spirit inside the squad.”
Forest’s run to the Europa League semi finals has been one of the biggest stories of their season, marking a major step forward in the club’s revival on the European stage.
The potential absence of Aina could prove especially significant against an attacking Villa side. The versatile defender has been one of Forest’s most consistent performers this season, valued for his pace, defensive awareness and ability to operate across multiple positions.
With Villa expected to apply pressure in front of their home supporters, Forest may be forced into another defensive reshuffle if Aina fails to recover in time.
Despite the setbacks, Pereira continues to rely heavily on the mentality within the squad as Forest chase a place in a major European final.
“This is not only about tactics,” he said. “This is about team spirit.”
