Nottingham Forest are assessing an injury to defender Jair Cunha that could leave them short at the back ahead of their Europa League semi-final first leg against Aston Villa.
Defensive Concerns Mount
Cunha was forced off in the 50th minute of Friday's 5-0 win over Sunderland, clutching his arm in visible discomfort. The injury is a major worry for head coach Vitor Pereira, who is already without fellow Brazilian centre-back Murillo due to a suspected hamstring problem sustained in the previous week's 4-1 victory against Burnley.
Speaking after the Sunderland match, Pereira expressed his concern: "We will see. I am concerned about this because if we lose players in the same position at this time, it is a big problem. I hope. We will see. I am not a doctor, so we will see."
Potential Replacements
Morato, another Brazilian centre-back, replaced Cunha at Sunderland and is likely to step in against Villa at the City Ground on Thursday at 8pm if both Cunha and Murillo are ruled out. Pereira also has the option of 19-year-old Zach Abbott, who has gained Europa League experience this season.
The match promises to be a tense encounter as Forest look to secure a first-leg advantage before travelling to Villa Park.
