Super Eagles fullback Ola Aina has expressed his desire to help Nottingham Forest qualify for the Champions League, viewing it as a deserved reward for the team’s hard work and dedication.
Nottingham Forest’s impressive Premier League performance has propelled them to third place with 51 points from 28 games, creating a promising opportunity for Champions League qualification, especially with English teams expected to secure five spots in the tournament next season.
In an exclusive interview with The Inside Scoop, Ola Aina shared his hopes of playing in the Champions League with Nottingham Forest: “I pray so because as a team, as a club, we’ve been working hard. As much as you see us joking and laughing, people have been putting in the work so hopefully.”
Aina reflected on the team’s remarkable progress, acknowledging that finishing third was a lofty goal at the start of the season: “Before the season if I’m being totally honest, third was a massive jump from where we were last season, but I knew we were going to improve from that season. We finished 17th but with the players, the manager having a full pre-season with us, I knew we will improve.”
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The 28-year-old attributed the team’s success to the manager’s clear vision and the players’ ability to gel on and off the pitch: “I think the manager being there and having his ideas from pre-season till now, everyone has had enough time to buy into it and understand it, know what he wants from the players, that’s a major factor. I think the players have gelled on and off the pitch, and there’s a good cohesion within the club and the team.”
Aina acknowledged that the prospect of Champions League qualification is on his mind, but emphasized the importance of taking things one game at a time. “Obviously let’s be real, I think about it, I won’t talk for anybody else but I think about it. That’s just normal but it is true that we have to take it game by game.”
Ola Aina will look to maintain his strong form with Nottingham Forest as they pursue Champions League qualification, with their next premier league match against Ipswich on Saturday. Afterwards, he will link up with the Nigerian national team in Kigali ahead of their crucial World Cup qualifying matches.
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