Nottingham Forest star Ola Aina leads Europe's top 5 leagues in possession won in defensive third

Nottingham Forest fullback Ola Aina is the top-rated player in a key defensive statistic among players competing in Europe's top five leagues, which include the English Premier League, Spain's La Liga, Italy's Serie A, the German Bundesliga and France's Ligue 1.

According to football statistics website Whoscored, Ola Aina has won possession in the defensive third at least thirteen more times than any other player in Europe's top five leagues in the 2024-2025 season.

The Chelsea Academy graduate has won possession 105 times spread across twenty-eight games in the Premier League.

Aina has been a defensive powerhouse for Nottingham Forest, particularly excelling in winning possession in the defensive third, helping goalkeeper Matz Sels post twelve clean sheets. 

His ability to regain the ball under pressure has been crucial for his team, making him one of the most reliable fullbacks in Europe.

Aina's positional awareness enables him to anticipate opposition movements, while his aggressive yet controlled tackling ensures he wins back possession cleanly without conceding unnecessary fouls.

He has an impressive disciplinary record for a defender, having received just two cautions in 2,445 minutes of game time in the Premier League.

Aina is set to be included in Nigeria's final squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against Rwanda's Wasps and Zimbabwe's Warriors.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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