Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi suffered an unusual but potentially serious injury during his side’s Premier League draw with Leicester City.
The Nigerian forward hurt himself after accidentally crashing into a post as he attempted to reach a cross during the closing stages of the game.
Awoniyi resumed playing after receiving treatment but was clearly in discomfort. He has since required surgery and a stay in hospital.
The incident also caused a storm involving Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, who had a heated exchange on the pitch with the manager after the final whistle and later had the club issue a statement decrying “fake news” and “baseless and ill-informed outrage”.
The Sporting News explains what happened.
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What happened to Taiwo Awoniyi?
Awoniyi collided with the post after trying to meet a cross from Anthony Elanga in Forest’s draw with Leicester City on May 11.
He received lengthy treatment but returned to the pitch to continue playing during the closing stages. It later became clear that his injuries were more severe than initially suspected.
According to BBC Sport, Awoniyi ruptured his intestine during the collision and required hospital treatment on Monday. A day later, widespread reports indicated he would need further surgery.
Forest later confirmed the player had had an operation and that further updates would be provided “when appropriate”.
Taiwo Awoniyi ‘placed in induced coma’ for surgery
It was reported in the UK on May 13 that Awoniyi had been placed in an induced coma both for his own comfort and to stabilise his condition before he underwent a second operation.
It is understood that the decision was made in order to regulate his heart rate and to restrict his movement during the procedure. There was no indication that his condition was life-threatening.
According to the Guardian, Awoniyi was due to be brought out of the coma on Wednesday, May 14.
Nottingham Forest angry at coverage of owner storming the pitch
After the draw with Leicester, Forest owner Marinakis was seen storming onto the pitch and engaging in an apparently heated conversation with head coach Nuno Espirito Santo.
There were suggestions Marinakis had vented his frustration at Nuno for the fact his team dropped points once more in the race to qualify for the UEFA Champions League. Nuno insisted the incident was due to a misunderstanding over Awoniyi not being substituted after his injury, adding: “Football is emotions. It’s difficult to control [and] especially when we had so much expectation and the fans were incredible.”
Forest then issued a statement lashing out at perceived “fake news” around the coverage of Marinakis.
“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,” they said. “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.
“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.”
They added: “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.
“In light of this, we urge former coaches and players, and other public figures in the game, to resist the urge to rush to judgement and fake news online, especially when they do not have the full facts and context.”
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