Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi is out of an induced coma and recovering well after undergoing urgent abdominal surgery.
Awoniyi sustained injury after a collision with the goalpost during Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Leicester
The 27-year-old Nigerian continued playing after the crash but was later subbed off, with Forest having used all available substitutions.
He was rushed to hospital on Monday, and underwent a complex, potentially life-saving operation on Wednesday.
The surgery went as planned, and he is now awake and with family.
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Forest confirmed, “The seriousness of Taiwo Awoniyi’s 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.”
The club defended owner Evangelos Marinakis, who entered the pitch after the match, amid criticism from figures like Sky Sports’ Gary Neville.
The club stated, “His reaction was one of deep care, responsibility and emotional investment in one of our own… There was no confrontation with Nuno or others.”
Forest added, “We urge former coaches and players, and other public figures… to resist the urge to rush to judgment and fake news online… Let concern come before commentary.”
Awoniyi was chasing a cross from Anthony Elanga — who was in an offside position — when the injury occurred, sparking renewed debate over IFAB’s rule instructing officials to delay raising the flag in potential goal-scoring situations.
Meanwhile, the incident has drawn nationwide sympathy, with former Anambra State governor and Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi expressing concern over the player’s condition.
“I read with deep concern the unfortunate incident involving our own Taiwo Awoniyi, a resilient son of the soil, who, while giving his best on the field for Nottingham Forest in the English Premier League, suffered a severe injury in the line of duty,” Obi said.
He added, “It is both painful and telling that, even after colliding with the goalpost and sustaining what has now been revealed as a ruptured intestine, he pressed on, a testament to the Nigerian spirit: strong, unyielding, and ever-committed.”
Obi urged Nigerians to stand in solidarity with the footballer and his family.
“Let us not take this lightly. We must appreciate and celebrate such young men who continue to lift our flag high, even at great personal risk… May he recover fully and return stronger,” he said.
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