Source: Radio New Zealand
Chris Wood is available for Nottingham Forest’s next game tomorrow. It’s great news for All Whites fans too. Photosport
All Whites striker Chris Wood has returned to the Nottingham Forest squad, ending a six-month injury lay-off.
In what is a boost for [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/590364/chris-wood-closing-on-premier-league-return-for-nottingham-forest the All Whites ahead of their FIFA World Cup mid-year campaign, Wood has been declared available for the first leg of Forest’s Europa League quarterfinal against Porto tomorrow morning NZT.
Thirty-four year-old Wood was training with the team in Porto, Forest manager Vitor Pereira said.
“He is working with us, we need to manage him a little bit physically but he has travelled. It means he is available to be in the game tomorrow.
“He is an experienced player, he scores goals and it’s important to be ready for the team in this moment because we face a lot of challenges.”
Forest had been on a downhill skid since Wood, who scored a career-best 20 goals for them in the Premier League last season, was injured. He hadn’t played at top-level since injuring a knee during a league match against Chelsea in mid-October. He had surgery in December.
He returns with Forest in a fight to stay in the Premier League. They were three points above the relegation zone with seven matches remaining.
Wood had played twice for Forest B on his recovery trail and scored a goal in their win over Newcastle under-21 last month.
Pereira said the priority was to win against Porto.
“The Europa League is very important and it is very important to keep the club in the Premier League.
“I need to find the balance between the two competitions. This is the only way; the only way to compete tomorrow and again in three days’ time against Aston Villa.
“The players have to feel they are important and have the qualities and conditions to compete and to help the club in this moment.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
