Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi is in an induced coma after undergoing urgent surgery on a serious abdominal injury sustained during Sunday’s 2–2 draw against Leicester City.
The 26-year-old Nigeria international collided heavily with the post in the dying minutes of the game while trying to convert a scoring opportunity. Though Awoniyi initially indicated he was fit to continue, he was soon forced off in visible pain—an incident that left Forest temporarily down to ten men and ignited tensions on the sidelines.
Forest confirmed on Tuesday that Awoniyi is “recovering well so far following urgent surgery” and that the injury had the potential to be fatal had it not been treated immediately. According to reports, the surgery was “complex but successful,” and the coma has been medically induced to stabilise his condition and regulate his heart rate. A second surgical procedure is planned for Wednesday, after which Awoniyi is expected to be brought out of sedation.
The club released a detailed statement offering updates on Awoniyi’s condition while addressing speculation over a supposed confrontation between club owner Evangelos Marinakis and manager Nuno Espírito Santo. It firmly denied any such clash, calling reports “baseless and ill-informed.”
“The seriousness of his injury is a powerful reminder of the physical risks in the game, and why a player’s health and well-being must always come first,” the statement read. “At Nottingham Forest, this principle is not just policy for us; it is the deeply held belief and conviction of our owner.”
The statement went on to describe Marinakis’s emotional response at the City Ground as an act of deep concern rather than confrontation, saying, “His deep frustration at seeing our player lying on the ground in severe pain… triggered him to go onto the pitch. It was instinctive, human, and a reflection of just how much this team and its people mean to him.”
Forest also issued a plea to public figures and former professionals not to jump to conclusions or spread misinformation on social media: “Baseless and ill-informed outrage for the purposes of personal social media traction serves no one—least of all the injured player.”
Awoniyi’s absence is a blow to Forest’s campaign, as the club continues to battle for European qualification. But for now, the focus remains solely on his recovery.
Messages of support have poured in from across the footballing world, as the striker’s teammates, fans, and the broader community await further updates with hope and concern.