'Clubs often pay a price' – Nottingham Forest coach on Ola Aina's injury while on Super Eagles duty

Speaking ahead of his side's Europa League clash against Real Betis, Nottingham Forest coach Ange Postecoglou revealed that international football has developmental benefits for players, but it often comes at a cost for clubs.

Nottingham Forest have been dealt a blow with key defender Ola Aina facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after sustaining a hamstring injury while on international duty with Nigeria.

The right-back will be unavailable for selection during the league phase of the Europa League and has also been omitted from Nottingham Forest's Premier League squad for the first half of the season.

Aina picked up the injury during the Super Eagles 2026 World Cup qualifier against South Africa in Bloemfontein on September 9.

After the defender's return to England, scans revealed the extent of the damage, and he has already undergone surgery to repair the hamstring injury.

Aina is expected to be out of action for around three months, placing his participation at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in serious doubt.

"I am a big fan of continental competition, representative football, international football. I know again the congested calendar,” Postecoglou told reporters. 

"As clubs we often pay a price. We obviously lost Ola Aina from international duty, but the benefits of players playing in those kinds of competitions and playing in Europe and testing themselves in different kinds of environments and against different types of players, it does allow them to grow in ways where if they were just playing a domestic competition."

Ola Aina had started 38 of Nottingham Forest's last 41 Premier League matches before sustaining the injury.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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