EPL: Ola Aina Anticipates Chelsea Showdown

Ola Aina, a former Chelsea player now with Nottingham Forest, looks forward to facing his old club.
Despite being a Chelsea fan, he aims to help Forest secure victory.
Aina reflects positively on his time at Forest and his international experience with Nigeria.

Eko Hot Blog reports that Ola Aina, Nottingham Forest defender, expressed anticipation for their upcoming match against Chelsea at the City Ground today.

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Aina joined Chelsea at the under-11 level and departed from the club for good in 2019 following loan spells at Hull City and Torino.

The 27-year-old Nigerian defender aims to assist the Reds in achieving a double victory over Chelsea, following their 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge in September.

“I like playing against Chelsea, and I still support them after being there for so many years,” Aina told BBC East Midlands.

“I don’t know if this is going to get me in trouble, but I am a Chelsea fan.

Ola Aina won the EPL with Chelsea FC

“Everyone has their opinions about how things are going for them, but this is a new era, and it’s not always easy to maintain that level of success.

“It’s a fixture I’ve been looking forward to, and I’m excited to be involved in it to see what happens.”

On the Blues’ recent form, Aina added, “It’s football, really. Sometimes you’re high, and sometimes you’re low.

“It’s just about trying to find balance and stay consistent. That’s what I’ve been trying to do.

“I don’t think there’s any point to prove. I don’t hold grudges or anything; whatever happened in the past happened. There’s no animosity there. It’s just the career of a footballer.

“I only have fond memories of being at Chelsea. It’s a chapter that closed, and I’ve moved on, just as anyone else would.”

The former-Torino star, who represented Nigeria in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final defeat against Ivory Coast, lamented certain questionable refereeing decisions that went against the Super Eagles.

“It felt like we were fighting against destiny,” Ola Aina said.

“You could feel the weight of Ivory Coast against us.

“There were some decisions that could have gone our way, but I’m not that kind of player; ultimately, they did enough to beat us and fair play to them.

Aina in action against his former club, Chelsea

“We’ve been building this team since the 2019 AFCON, when we came in third with a really young team.

“Getting to the final was a progression that showed we were nearly there.”

On his time at Nottingham Forest, he said, “I am really enjoying my time here at Forest. I love it. It’s been great, and they have welcomed me in with open arms.

“The club is fantastic, and it’s a great experience playing at City Ground. The atmosphere is amazing, and it feels good to be here.