Super Eagles defender Ola Aina was absent from the matchday squad as Nottingham Forest suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Aston Villa in the semi-final second leg of the UEFA Europa League at Villa Park on Thursday night.

Goals from Ollie Watkins, Emiliano Buendía, and John McGinn helped Villa secure a dominant victory and seal qualification to the final with a 4-1 aggregate triumph.

Aina missed the encounter after failing to recover from the knock he sustained during the first-leg clash at the City Ground. 

The Nigeria international has now sat out Forest’s last two matches across all competitions, including their 3-1 Premier League victory over Chelsea and the decisive European encounter against Villa.

Forest struggled defensively in the absence of the versatile fullback as Villa controlled proceedings for large spells before cruising to victory to end Forest’s impressive European campaign.

Despite being unavailable for selection, Aina was present at Villa Park to support his teammates from the stands.

The former Chelsea defender has enjoyed an important season for Nottingham Forest, making 28 appearances across all competitions while contributing one assist. 

His consistency and defensive solidity have made him one of the club’s key performers during the campaign.

Aina’s fitness situation will now be closely monitored ahead of the upcoming Unity Cup in London, where the Nigeria national football team are expected to defend the title they previously won at the Gtech Community Stadium.

His potential absence would be a significant concern for Super Eagles head coach Éric Chelle as Nigeria prepare for the competition.

Adeyemi Adewale