Aina pictured training at Nottingham Forest, is he fit to face Luton? Nuno Espirito Santo has an update 

Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo was on media duties on Thursday before his side's potential six-pointer against Luton Town at Kenilworth Road, 1500 hours GMT kickoff on March 16.

Saturday is like a final for both teams in their bid to stay afloat as only three points separate them with ten games left to the end of the 2023-2024 Premier League season.

One of the topics the Portuguese football tactician addressed was the latest fitness update on Nigeria international Ola Aina. 

The versatile fullback was pictured training at Nottingham Forest last week but wasn't named in the traveling squad to Brighton & Hove. 

The Chelsea-reared player has missed five games on the bounce in league and cup since his return from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. 

After the tournament in Ivory Coast, it came to light that he was forced to play through the pain barrier in the final versus the Elephants and no wonder he was a shadow of himself in an individual duel with Player of the Match Samuel Adingra. 

Nuno Espirito Santo has confirmed Aina will miss the trip to Luton Town and could make his comeback after the March international break.

In quotes relayed by NottinghamshireLive, Nuno Espirito Santo said: ""He is better. He has started his individual sessions now, but he is not yet with the group.

"If things go well with his recovery, I think he can join us after the international break."

Turning a blind eye to his performance in the final against Ivory Coast, Aina was outstanding at the 2023 AFCON and the proof of that is that he was named in the official Team of the Tournament by the Confederation of African Football. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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