Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi has been placed in an induced coma following urgent abdominal surgery, sources told ESPN.
The Nigeria international sustained the injury after colliding with the goal frame during a substitute appearance in Forest’s 2-2 draw against Leicester on Sunday.
His condition sparked an intense on-field debate between the club’s manager and owner. Awoniyi was placed in an induced coma on Monday to aid his recovery by restricting movement and stabilizing his heart rate. A second operation is scheduled for Wednesday.
Despite the severity of the injury, Nottingham Forest released a statement assuring fans that Awoniyi is “recovering well.”
The club remains in contention for Champions League qualification with two crucial matches left in the Premier League—against West Ham and Chelsea.
Following the Leicester game, club owner Evangelos Marinakis stormed onto the pitch to confront manager Nuno Espírito Santo. Espírito Santo later explained that Marinakis was frustrated due to a miscommunication between the bench and medical staff regarding Awoniyi’s condition.
After receiving treatment, the 27-year-old striker signaled he was fit to continue, prompting Espírito Santo to use his final substitution by swapping Elliot Anderson for Jota Silva in stoppage time. However, Awoniyi struggled for the remainder of the match, effectively leaving Forest with 10 players and hurting their chances of securing a win.
Forest defended Marinakis’ emotional reaction, stating that his actions reflected “deep care, responsibility, and investment in the club.” The statement emphasized his leadership, highlighting his instinctive decision to step onto the pitch upon seeing a player in pain.
Marinakis recently relinquished his official control over Forest as the club nears Champions League qualification, avoiding UEFA’s ownership rules that prevent individuals from holding influence over multiple teams in the competition. He is also president of Greek champions Olympiakos.
With just two games remaining, Forest sits seventh in the league—one point behind fifth-placed Chelsea—as they fight for a spot in Europe’s elite tournament.