By Rasheed Adewuyi, New York
Nottingham Forest defender Ola Aina has vowed that the team will fight back after their 1–0 home loss to FC Midtjylland in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 first leg at the City Ground on Thursday.
Speaking after the match, the Nigerian international admitted it was a tough night but insisted the tie is far from over.
“It’s frustrating because we know we had chances,” Aina said. “On another day maybe one of those goes in and the game looks very different.”
The former Chelsea FC defender praised the fans for their support but stressed that the team must sharpen its focus and manage key moments better in the return leg.
“The fans were unbelievable tonight. You always want to give them something to celebrate, so it’s disappointing that we couldn’t do that,” he added.
Despite the setback, Aina remained confident that Forest can overturn the deficit away from home.
“It’s only one goal. We’re still very much in this tie. Nobody is giving up. We’re disappointed, yes, but the belief is still there in the group,” he said.
Looking ahead, Aina promised that the team will use the defeat as motivation and approach the second leg on March 19, 2026, with determination to fight for a Europa League quarter-final spot.
“We’ll regroup, work hard this week, and go again. The job isn’t done yet, and we’re ready to fight for it,” he concluded.