Nigerian forward Taiwo Awoniyi is “recovering well” after undergoing emergency abdominal surgery, Nottingham Forest confirmed on Tuesday.
Following the injury he sustained in Forest’s 2-2 draw against Leicester City on Sunday, Awoniyi, who collided with the goalpost at City Ground, had to undergo emergency surgery on Monday night.
A statement from the club on X, read: “Nottingham Forest can confirm that Taiwo Awoniyi is recovering well so far following urgent surgery on a serious abdominal injury sustained during Sunday’s match against Leicester City.
“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.”
Despite visibly being in pain, Awoniyi was not substituted as the Nigerian carried on playing before he was eventually replaced by Ivorian midfielder Ibrahim Sangare in the 83rd minute, a move that angered club owner Evangelos Marinakis.
Marinakis, meanwhile, has come under scrutiny for his actions after the match, having confronted head coach Nuno Espirito Santo about his decision to keep Awoniyi on the pitch.
The club, in its statement, debunked any claims of a spat between Marinakis and Nuno, adding that the Greek owner’s outrage was purely a concern for the health of their Nigerian forward.
“At Nottingham Forest, this principle is not just policy for us; it is the deeply held belief and conviction of our owner. To Evangelos Marinakis, this isn’t just a football club — it’s family – and he instils that message in all of us,” the statement read.
“That is why he was so personally and emotionally invested in the situation that unfolded at the City Ground on Sunday. His reaction was one of deep care, responsibility, and emotional investment in one of our own. He didn’t just see it as an isolated incident, but as something that reflected the values and unity of the entire team.
“The truth of the matter is there was no confrontation, with Nuno or with others, either on the pitch or inside the stadium. There was only shared frustration between all of us that the medical team should never have allowed the player to continue.”
Awoniyi, meanwhile, will most likely miss Forest’s last two games of the season against West Ham United and Chelsea as they continue pushing for Champions League.
