Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi out of induced coma after serious abdominal injury

Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi is now out of an induced coma following urgent abdominal surgery after a collision with a goalpost during Sunday’s Premier League match against Leicester City, which ended in a 2-2 draw.

Collision Leads to Hospitalization and Surgery

The 27-year-old forward suffered the injury shortly after being substituted onto the field. In his attempt to score a late winner, Awoniyi collided heavily with the goalpost. Although he tried to continue playing after receiving treatment, his condition worsened and he was taken to hospital on Monday after further assessments by the Nottingham Forest medical team.

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Two-Stage Surgery and Induced Coma

Awoniyi underwent the first stage of surgery on Monday, after which he was placed in an induced coma on Tuesday so that medical staff could carefully monitor his progress. The second stage of the surgery, including wound closure, took place on Wednesday, according to reports from BBC.

Club Confirms Positive Recovery Progress

Nottingham Forest released a statement on Tuesday confirming that Awoniyi is recovering well following the emergency medical procedure. The club expressed optimism regarding his condition and future recovery.

Offside Controversy Adds to Injury Frustration

The incident stirred controversy when it was later revealed that teammate Elanga had been offside before the play that led to Awoniyi’s injury. The assistant referee did not raise the flag until after the collision had occurred. This raised questions about the handling of the situation by both the officials and medical staff.

Reported Pitchside Dispute Denied by Forest

Following the match, media reports claimed that club owner Evangelos Marinakis confronted head coach Nuno Espirito Santo over the handling of Awoniyi’s injury. However, Nottingham Forest has strongly denied these claims, calling them “fake news” in an official statement.

“There was no confrontation with Nuno or others, either on the pitch or inside the stadium. There was only shared frustration that the medical team should not have allowed the player to continue,” the club clarified.

Forest Urges Public to Avoid Speculation

The club also called on former players, coaches, and influencers to avoid jumping to conclusions or spreading misinformation online.

“Baseless and ill-informed outrage for social media traction serves no one — especially the injured player. Let concern come before commentary,” the statement added.