“We need it”

Soccer

Super Eagles defender Ola Aina has revealed that the playful atmosphere at Nottingham Forest has been a big reason for their impressive run in the English Premier League this season, Soccernet.ng reports.

Nottingham Forest have been living the dream this season. The club currently sit third in the Premier League, with 51 points after 28 games. This season, they have not only beaten the small teams, but they have also claimed points from the established big boys.

The Tricky Trees have gotten points against Liverpool, Tottenham, and Manchester United. On Saturday, they claimed another big scalp as they defeated Manchester City 1-0 at the City Ground Stadium.

Soccer Ola Aina and Espirito Santo (Photo credit: Imago)
Ola Aina and Espirito Santo (Photo credit: Imago)

Nigeria defender Aina, who has been an integral part of their success this season, played the entire 90 minutes, and he did a great job keeping Jeremie Doku silent for the entire game.

After the game, Aina spoke to Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand. Ferdinand, who is a retired defender himself, asked Aina how the team has managed to stay focused throughout the season, as some of the Nottingham Forest usually share funny videos of themselves in the dressing room or other club facilities. The Super Eagles star revealed that the playfulness in the dressing room has helped to keep the team together and has contributed to their performance on the pitch.

“We’ve just got to stay humble”

“Someone said that earlier in the season”

Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ola Aina are staying focused as Nottingham Forest continue their fight for Champions League qualification

@LynseyHipgrave1 | @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/gjW4ckZHdq

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 8, 2025

“A group like us, we need it (the playful atmosphere, it keeps the positivity whether we get the results or we don’t, Aina said. “It keeps a positive mindset in and around the training ground and in the team. Him (Callum Hudson-Odoi), myself, we make sure that it’s always high.”

Soccer Latest update on Ola Aina’s future

Soccer Ola Aina and Kyle Walker
Ola Aina and Kyle Walker (Photo credit: Imago)

As of the last report, Ola Aina is yet to sign a contract extension at Nottingham Forest. Recall that the Super Eagles defender is set to be out of contract at the end of the season, and he is yet to agree on an extension with Nottingham Forest.

The club is pushing hard to secure the Super Eagles star’s future, but nothing concrete has emerged yet. Nonetheless, Aina’s decision will be known in the coming weeks.

Soccer Kelvin Omachonu


Kelvin Omachonu

Kelvin Omachonu is a writer with many years of experience covering sports events in Nigeria and abroad. He is fueled by his love for the job, and is dedicated to delivering captivating stories.

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