TAIWO IN INDUCED COMA
Forest star recovering in hospital after colliding with goalpost
EINA: Facundo Buonanotte and Taiwo Awoniyi collided with post EINA: Facundo Buonanotte and Taiwo Awoniyi collided with post
Image: EPA
NOTTINGHAM Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi is in an induced coma after undergoing surgery on a serious abdominal injury, according to British media reports.
The Nigeria international, 27, collided with the goalpost in the 88th minute of Sunday’s 2-2 Premier League draw with Leicester City at the City Ground, attempting to connect with a cross from Anthony Elanga.
Awoniyi, who joined Forest from Union Berlin in June 2022, came on as a late substitute for Ibrahim Sangare and spent only five minutes on the pitch before the incident.
He received immediate treatment on the field and then rejoined the game but was limping for the last 10 minutes of the match.
The BBC was among British media outlets that reported late on Tuesday that Awoniyi had been placed in an induced coma after having the first phase of surgery.
In a statement earlier on Tuesday, Forest said Awoniyi had undergone surgery and was “recovering well”.
The club says: “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.”
DIK KWAAD: Evangelos Marinakis with Nuno Espirito Santo DIK KWAAD: Evangelos Marinakis with Nuno Espirito Santo
Image: AFP
Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis came onto the pitch after the Leicester game and appeared to remonstrate with manager Nuno Espirito Santo.
Espirito Santo said that the incident was due to Marinakis’ frustration over Awoniyi not being substituted. The Forest manager added that the Nigeria international was left on due to a misunderstanding between the coaching and medical departments.
Forest on Tuesday dismissed reports as “fake news” that Marinakis was involved in a confrontation with the manager.
The club adds in a statement: “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.
“Baseless and ill-informed outrage for the purposes of personal social media traction serves no one - least of all the injured player.”