Soccer
Ola Aina and his Nottingham Forest teammates. (Photo credit: Imago)
Premier League club Nottingham Forest will be without Super Eagles striker Taiwo Awoniyi for their UEFA Europa League game against Braga on Thursday, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Tricky Trees will take on Braga in their penultimate game of the Europa League group stages on Thursday evening.
They need to get a result from that game to stand a good chance of qualifying for the next round of the competition.
Nottingham Forest currently sit 11th in the standings, with 11 points after six games. However, they need to stack up more points to ensure they make it to the next round.
Ahead of the game, the club revealed details of the team that will travel to Estadio Municipal de Braga to take on the Portuguese giants.
In what is a big defensive boost for them, Super Eagles defender Ola Aina has been declared fit for the fixture.
Recall that he spent the last three months of 2025 recovering from a hamstring injury. But he has returned to training since the turn of the year, and he will likely start for the Tricky Trees against Braga.
Soccer Taiwo Awoniyi: Super Eagles striker Out of Nottingham Forest vs Braga
Ahead of the game between Nottingham Forest and Braga, it has been confirmed that Super Eagles striker Taiwo Awoniyi will be unavailable for selection.
However, it is not due to a lack of fitness. Rather, it is because he is not registered for the Europa League. As such, he is not eligible to play until the knockout rounds of the competition.
Nottingham Forest should have adequate cover, however, as Brazilian striker Igor Jesus is fit and ready to go.
Awoniyi has yet to pin down a regular starting shirt at the City Ground since Sean Dyche took over as coach due to injuries and the bloated squad size. However, he will be hoping that his situation at the club improves soon.
Moreover, with Chris Wood injured all season and Arnaud Kalimuendo sent out on loan to Eintracht Frankfurt, Awoniyi will be looking to build on the situation and earn himself a regular slot in the team.
Kelvin Omachonu
Kelvin Omachonu is a professional football columnist and sports writer with over half a decade of experience covering major events and delivering captivating, analytically-driven stories.
A graduate of the University of Ibadan, he is fueled by a profound dedication to sports journalism and the beautiful game. His insights have previously been featured in respected outlets, including IndyPress UI, UCJ UI Newshive NG, Sportpremi, and a few others.
Away from work, Kelvin is an avid fan of basketball, enjoys a great movie, and is always discovering new music.
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