Nigerian defender Ola Aina recently reminisced about his move to Torino and how his long-held dream of playing in Serie A eventually became a reality. Reflecting on his early days, Aina explained that although he was initially hesitant, his desire to play in Italy outweighed his reservations.
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He recalled, “When the opportunity came around, I was a bit hesitant at first, but I always wanted to play in Serie A. It’s one of those countries I always dreamed of playing in, so it made sense. The first year was tough – we only got one day off and would fly straight back to London because I was so close to my family. Can you imagine that for an entire season? But then my buddy told me, ‘Ola, you need to chill.’ It was tiring, but I did it; it was fun. It was an experience I will never forget.”
Aina also addressed the issue of racial abuse during his time in Italy. He emphasized that, despite hearing about incidents involving others, he personally did not experience any racist abuse during his four-year stint.
“I was there for four years, and I didn’t receive a single racist comment. I swear there were others who did face such hate, but by God’s grace, I was spared.”
His reflections reveal both the personal hardships he encountered and the unwavering resilience and determination that propelled him through one of Europe’s top leagues.
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