Super Eagles defender Ola Aina has revealed that his move from Chelsea to Torino was a major turning point in his development, admitting that his time in Italy taught him how to properly defend.
Aina joined Torino on loan from Chelsea in 2018 before making the move permanent the following year. Looking back at his career, the Nigerian believes his experience in Serie A changed the way he understood his role as a defender.
Aina had come through Chelsea’s academy and was already comfortable playing in different positions across the defence. However, his move to Torino gave him a different insight and exposed him to the tactical demands of Italian football.
His time at the club helped him improve his positioning, one-on-one defending and overall understanding of defensive situations.
Those lessons from Italy have continued to play a part in his career
Aina returned to England after his spell at Torino, later playing for Fulham before joining Nottingham Forest in 2023.
He has since become an important player for Forest and a regular member of the Super Eagles squad , with his ability to defend, carry the ball and contribute in attack making him a useful option on the right side of the defence
This season, however, Aina has faced a new challenge at Forest under new manager Oliver Glasner.
He has had to switch between right wing-back and right centre-back, requiring him to adapt different defensive roles.
While the change has brought a different demand, Aina’s experience in Italy remains an important part that helped shape his development.
For the Super Eagles defender, Torino was more than just a club where he got regular football. It was where he says he learned one of the most important parts of his profession ‘ how to defend’.
