Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood has delivered a sobering update on his long-term fitness, revealing he will have to manage a persistent knee injury for the rest of his life. The 34-year-old New Zealand international recently returned to action after a six-month absence, a layoff that culminated in surgery last December.

Wood made his comeback in last week's 1-1 Europa League quarter-final first-leg draw against Porto, marking his first appearance since October. While his return is a boost for Forest's crucial run-in, the veteran forward acknowledges the injury is a permanent fixture he must constantly monitor, both for his professional career and life beyond the pitch.

"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," Wood stated. "It's going be there. I'd say it's always got to be in the back of your mind that I have to keep myself in top shape ready to go."

His return is timely for a Forest side with dual ambitions: advancing in the Europa League and securing their Premier League status. The club hosts Porto on Thursday for a decisive second leg, with a potential semi-final against Aston Villa or Bologna on the line. For Wood personally, the race is also on to prove his fitness for New Zealand's World Cup campaign this summer, where the All Whites face a challenging Group G.

Reflecting on the difficult rehabilitation, Wood explained the path to surgery wasn't straightforward. "We tried a few different avenues to get it right before having to go down the surgery route," he said. "It didn't work out the way we wanted to. At least we got it now with a goal to come back to."

In other team news, Forest may be without midfielder Elliot Anderson for the crucial Porto clash after he missed training on Wednesday, adding another layer of challenge as the team prepares for a high-stakes night at the City Ground.