Nottingham Forest handed big injury boost ahead of Europa League quarter-final

Nottingham Forest have received a big injury boost ahead of the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final against Porto. 

Chris Wood will return to the squad after six months on the sidelines. 

The 34-year-old hasn’t played since picking up a knee injury in October, which required surgery in December. 

The experienced striker recently recovered to feature twice for the under-21s, and has now travelled with the first-team squad for Thursday’s European game. 

Igor Jesus, who scored against Tottenham Hotspur in Forest’s last game before the international break, is set to lead the attack, but Wood will be part of the matchday squad. 

“He started training with the team, and he is available for the game,” manager Vitor Pereira said (per BBC Sport).

“He is working with us. We need to manage a little bit physically, but he has travelled. It means he is available to be in the game tomorrow.”

Wood has been a key player for Forest since joining the club in January 2023, initially on a loan deal that was later made permanent. 

He has bagged 39 goals and four assists in 91 appearances across all competitions. 

The New Zealand captain struck 20 goals last season, as the Tricky Trees qualified for Europe with a seventh-place Premier League finish. 

However, Wood has been limited to only eight league appearances this campaign due to a knee injury. 

With Forest just three points above the relegation zone in the Premier League, Wood’s return will be a major boost. 

Stats from Transfermarkt.