Ola Aina returned to action for Nottingham Forest on Saturday, ending a long injury absence during a difficult afternoon against Aston Villa.

The Nigeria defender made his first appearance since September 2025, marking a key personal milestone despite Forest falling to a 3–1 defeat at Villa Park, Footballrover reports.

Ola Aina Returns After Lengthy Injury Layoff

The 29-year-old full-back had been sidelined with a hamstring injury picked up while on international duty with Nigeria. His last Premier League outing before this return came on August 31, in a 3–0 loss to West Ham.

Aina resumed training in November, but Forest head coach Sean Dyche chose a cautious approach, delaying his return to match action.

That decision saw the defender miss several crucial games, including the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where the Super Eagles have progressed to the knockout stage.

Before the clash with Aston Villa, Aina had managed only three league appearances for the Tricky Trees this season.

He was handed a starting role at Villa Park, making his fourth appearance of the campaign and offering much-needed experience at the back.

Ola Aina Starts as Forest Struggle at Villa Park

Aston Villa responded strongly after their heavy defeat to Arsenal, controlling long spells of the contest. Ollie Watkins opened the scoring deep into first-half stoppage time with a fine strike from outside the box.

John McGinn doubled Villa’s lead shortly after the restart, finishing calmly from a Matty Cash cross.

Forest briefly raised hopes of a comeback when Morgan Gibbs-White latched onto a Dilane Bakwa through ball and chipped the goalkeeper.

Any momentum was short-lived. In the 73rd minute, McGinn struck again after rounding Forest keeper John Victor, following a precise long pass from Youri Tielemans.

Aina’s afternoon ended after 69 minutes, with Nicolo Savona introduced as Forest chased the game while trailing 2–1.

The defeat leaves Nottingham Forest in 18th place, with their position dependent on the outcome of West Ham vs Wolves.

Forest have now lost four of their last five matches, with their only recent win coming against Tottenham.

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Last Updated on January 4, 2026 8:07 am by footballrover