Ola Aina has heaped praises on Vitor Pereira over Nottingham Forest’s remarkable improvement ahead of their Europa League clash against Aston Villa on Thursday.
The Tricky Trees face their Premier League rivals in an all-English semifinal affair in the Europa League, as they continue their turnaround this season.
Forest began the season in poor form and looked like they were going to suffer relegation at a point. However, they are five points clear of the drop zone in the Premier League and are also in the last four stage of an European competition.
This is all thanks to Pereira, according to Aina during his prematch press conference ahead of the crucial encounter.
“He’s brought his ideas in and they resonated with us. He has a clear vision. Everyone has bought into that”, Aina said.
“We’re working hard every week. We’re looking forward to a semi-final now. The boss has done a great job but everyone has put in hard work. We’re reaping the benefits of that.
“I don’t really think there’s that much pressure on us. We’re all very proud to be in this semi-final.”
The Nigerian defender has been a key player for Nottingham Forest since returning from injury and will be hoping for another massive performance against Aston Villa on Thursday.
If they manage to advance, it will mark their first European final since 1980, when they last won the European Cup and will be a major boost for them as well.
“It’s definitely a special feeling. It’s a massive night for the club and the players. Everyone is relishing it”, Aina added.
“We’re just focused on what we do. It doesn’t matter about other results [in the Premier League]. We have our objectives.”
Nottingham Forest are not safe in the Premier League yet and will be focused on navigating their European campaign and safety for the final weeks of the season.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
