- Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi has been placed in an induced coma following urgent surgery for a serious abdominal injury sustained during the Premier League match against Leicester City.
- Nigerian forward Awoniyi sustained an injury in Forest’s 2-2 draw with Leicester, but despite being in pain, played the final 10 minutes of the match.
Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi has reportedly been placed in an induced coma following emergency surgery for a serious abdominal injury sustained during Sunday’s Premier League match against Leicester City.
The 27-year-old Nigerian forward was injured after colliding with the goalpost while attempting to meet a cross from teammate Anthony Elanga. Despite clearly being in pain, Awoniyi continued to play for the final 10 minutes of the 2-2 draw.
On Tuesday, Forest confirmed that Awoniyi underwent surgery to address the injury, describing it as serious. While the club stated he is “recovering well,” multiple UK news outlets, including the BBC and Sky Sports, reported that Awoniyi was placed in an induced coma as part of his post-surgery treatment.
When contacted for more information, Nottingham Forest declined to provide further details beyond the initial statement.
Awoniyi’s injury occurred as he stretched to connect with Elanga’s cross and crashed into the goalpost. Unfortunately, the play was ruled offside after the collision, though the flag was raised only afterward.
Despite receiving treatment on the pitch, Awoniyi insisted on continuing, as Forest had already used all their substitutions. He remained on the field, visibly uncomfortable, until the end of the match.
In a statement, Nottingham Forest clarified that the decision to let Awoniyi continue playing led to a heated exchange between club owner Evangelos Marinakis and manager Nuno Espírito Santo. However, the club denied reports of a confrontation, calling the rumors “fake news.”
“The truth of the matter is there was no confrontation, with Nuno or with others, either on the pitch or inside the stadium,” Forest said. “There was only shared frustration between all of us that the medical team should never have allowed the player to continue.
The club also rejected the backlash from fans and pundits, labeling it “baseless” and urged people to avoid jumping to conclusions without full context.
Awoniyi, who joined Nottingham Forest from Union Berlin in 2022, has scored 17 goals in 73 Premier League appearances for the club.
