Chris Wood Faces Knee Injury Challenge as Nottingham Forest Eyes Europa League Semi-Finals

Chris Wood knows the score. The Nottingham Forest striker is back on the pitch, back in Europe, but under no illusions: his right knee is now a permanent opponent.

The 34-year-old New Zealander returned after six months out to start last week’s Europa League quarter-final first leg at Estadio do Dragao, his first appearance since October following knee surgery in December. On Thursday night, he is in line to lead the line again as Forest host Porto with the tie delicately balanced at 1-1.

For Wood, every step now comes with a calculation.

"It's a knee injury, it's going to take years of managing throughout my whole career and when I'm playing with kids, playing golf or doing whatever I do after football," he said. "It's going be there."

There was no sugar-coating it. No bravado. Just the blunt reality of a veteran centre-forward who has spent long enough in the game to understand what a damaged knee means.

"I'd say it's always got to be in your back of mind that I have to keep myself in top shape ready to go," he added. "A knee injury is always horrible, you never know what could happen in the future or how you are going to come back from it."

The mental toll, he admits, has been as sharp as the physical one. He had already pushed close to a comeback before the operation, only for the joint to refuse to cooperate.

"So mentally, that's one of the tough things to deal with. But I had confidence I was always going to come back. I got very close to returning pre-surgery and it just didn't happen. That's just unfortunate."

The Pressure of Porto and the Pull of the World Stage

Now he is back, the stakes are high on every front.

Forest stand 90 minutes from a Europa League semi-final and a possible meeting with Aston Villa or Bologna. At the same time, they are fighting to secure their Premier League status. Wood’s goals, presence and experience could tilt both battles.

He also has one eye firmly on the international horizon. New Zealand head into this summer’s World Cup with a daunting Group G assignment against Iran, Egypt and Belgium. Wood wants to be there, leading the All Whites as he has so often before.

"It wasn't a straightforward injury, we tried a few different avenues to get it right before having to go down the surgery route," he said, outlining the long road back. "It didn't work out the way we wanted to. At least we got it now with a goal to come back to, and luckily I have been able to come back with a decent amount of time [before the World Cup], so hopefully I'll be in the running."

Those words carry added weight given the context of his club season. Wood did not play a single minute under former Forest manager Sean Dyche during Dyche’s 114 days in charge. His campaign stalled, then stopped. Now it has suddenly roared back into life on the European stage.

Forest’s Selection Puzzle

While Wood pushes through his own limits, Vitor Pereira has another concern in midfield.

Elliot Anderson is a doubt for the second leg after missing training on Wednesday, leaving Forest’s head coach to wait on late news.

"Today, he was not able to train," Pereira said. "He has personal problems, and we have to respect [them]. We will see [about tomorrow], we need to wait."

Porto arrive as leaders of the Portuguese league and with the confidence of a side used to this stage. Forest, driven by a striker who knows his body will never quite be the same again, are trying to write a new European chapter.

For Wood, the knee will always be there, a constant reminder and a constant risk. The question now is whether it can carry him — and Forest — through one more night, and on towards a World Cup that may define the final stretch of his career.