Nottingham Forest boss Vitor Pereira has confirmed that Super Eagles full-back Ola Aina returned to pitch training on Thursday, but the Portuguese coach stopped short of guaranteeing the Nigerian will play any part when Bournemouth visit the City Ground on Sunday.
Ola Aina has not featured for Nottingham Forest since April 30, when he hobbled off after 75 minutes of the Europa League semi final first leg against Aston Villa at Villa Park. Forest won that game 1-0, but the absence of their first choice right back was felt heavily in the second leg, where they collapsed to a 4-0 defeat and crashed out of the competition.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Vitor Pereira gave reporters a brief but cautious update on the 29 year old. “Murillo stays without training with the team. Ola (Aina) started today on the pitch,” the Forest head coach told the club’s official website. “I think Dan (Ndoye) has worked two times with the team, but we will see. I think that is all.”
Pereira was quick to frame the fixture in the right context. Forest sit 16th in the Premier League table with 43 points, their survival long since confirmed. For Bournemouth, the stakes are far higher: Andoni Iraola’s side travel to the City Ground sitting sixth on 56 points, still in contention for Europa League qualification heading into the final round of matches. Fans who want to get involved in the action before kick-off can check out Bet9ja’s current promo code for an enhanced opening bonus.
Pereira Rules Out Taking Risks
Pereira was honest about where his priorities lie. “We are in a moment of the season where we can’t take risks because this is a game we want to win. It’s not a final or a game to decide big things. Of course we want to win the game, we want three points and finish in the positions in the table. We will do everything to get a good result, but it is not possible to take risks at this moment,” the former Wolverhampton Wanderers manager said.
The remark suggests Aina could be held back even if he comes through training unscathed in the coming days. Forest have managed Aina’s workload carefully throughout the season and will not want to aggravate whatever knock has kept him sidelined for nearly a month. According to Nigeria’s top Bet9ja code platform, Sunday’s match is already drawing heavy interest from Nigerian fans eager to see whether their Super Eagles star returns to action before the curtain comes down on the English top flight campaign.
A Season to Remember for Aina
Despite the fitness concern, it has been a strong campaign for the Chelsea academy product. Aina made 41 starts across all competitions this season, establishing himself as one of the most reliable right backs in Vitor Pereira’s system. His 2 goal, 1-assist return came on top of consistent defensive work that helped Forest weather a turbulent season that saw three managers leave before Pereira steadied the ship.
The previous league meeting between these two sides, played at Vitality Stadium in October, ended in a 2-0 Bournemouth victory, with Marcus Tavernier and Junior Kroupi getting the goals. Forest will hope Sunday goes differently, and Aina’s return could be the boost they need to send their fans home happy on the final day. Those looking to place a bet on the outcome can use Bet9ja’s sign-up bonus to get started before kick off.
Bournemouth’s Europa Ambitions on the Line
For all the talk around Forest’s team news, Sunday’s contest is really about Bournemouth and what they stand to gain. Iraola’s side, who have collected five points from their last three Premier League meetings with Forest, know that a win at the City Ground could be enough to seal European football, depending on results elsewhere. It is a fitting stage for Iraola, who has announced he will leave the club at the end of the season after an extraordinary three year tenure.
Forest’s reported line up for the final day is expected to include several fringe players, which could hand Bournemouth an easier route to the three points they need. Whether or not Aina features, all eyes from the Nigerian football community will be on the City Ground as the Premier League wraps up another dramatic campaign.
📌 Did You Know?
- Ola Aina joined Nottingham Forest from Torino in July 2023 and has gone on to make over 60 appearances for the club across two seasons.
- Before joining Forest, Aina spent four seasons in Italy with Torino after spells at Chelsea, Hull City, and Fulham. He never made a first team league appearance for Chelsea despite coming through their academy.
- Aina is one of a select group of Nigerian defenders to play consistently in the Premier League. The right back position has historically been a weak spot for the Super Eagles, making his club form especially valuable to national team managers.
- Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola, who faces Forest in his final game as Cherries boss, has been widely praised as one of the best coaches in English football. His departure marks the end of a project that took Bournemouth to the verge of European football.
- Nottingham Forest went through four managers in the 2025-26 season before Vitor Pereira eventually guided them to safety. It was one of the most chaotic managerial seasons in recent Premier League history.
- Morgan Gibbs-White finished the 2025-26 Premier League season as Forest’s top scorer with 14 goals and four assists, establishing himself as one of the more productive midfielders in the division despite the club’s struggles.
- Bournemouth beat Forest 5-0 at the City Ground in January 2025, the heaviest home defeat Forest suffered all season, making Sunday’s reverse fixture one that the home faithful will be keen to see avenged.
