Forest Coach Pereira Blames Aina, Others’ Injuries for Europa League Exit

Nottingham Forest manager Vítor Pereira has singled out the absence of key players, including defender Ola Aina, as the decisive factor in his side’s Europa League semi-final collapse against Aston Villa.

Forest had carried a 1-0 aggregate lead into the second leg but were dismantled 4-0 by Unai Emery’s men.

Pereira, speaking after the match, insisted that the sheer number of injuries left his squad unable to compete at the required level.

‘Aina, out. Morgan Gibbs-White, out. Sangaré, out. Murillo, out. Callum Hudson-Odoi, out. Ndoye, out,’ Pereira said, listing the players unavailable. ‘To compete in a semi-final and against a team like Aston Villa, we need everyone in the conditions to compete. Today, we didn’t have that.’

The Forest boss explained that three injured players were named on the bench simply to make up numbers, while academy call-ups filled the remaining gaps. Gibbs-White, though listed among the substitutes, was effectively ruled out after suffering a bloody injury in the win over Chelsea.

‘Playing against Chelsea and then travelling again to come here after three days, it was not possible,’ Pereira added. ‘I am proud of my players and our supporters, but without solutions it was not possible to compete.’

Forest’s elimination now shifts their focus back to the Premier League survival battle, where Pereira will hope to have Aina and other injured stars return to bolster the squad.