May 14 – The heated on-field exchange between Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis and manager Nuno Espirito Santo during Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Leicester City has been overshadowed by the serious injury to striker Taiwo Awoniyi that sparked the confrontation.
Forest have confirmed that Awoniyi, 27, has undergone “urgent surgery” following a severe abdominal injury sustained when he collided with the goalpost. Despite receiving pitch-side treatment, the Nigerian international was visibly distressed when he returned to action for the closing minutes as Forest pushed for a winner to revitalise their Champions League aspirations.
“The club can confirm Taiwo Awoniyi has undergone urgent surgery following an abdominal injury sustained during Sunday’s match against Leicester City,” read Forest’s official statement. “Everyone at Nottingham Forest sends their best wishes to Taiwo. The club will provide further updates when appropriate.”
This setback compounds what has already been a challenging campaign for Awoniyi amid Forest’s otherwise impressive season. The former Union Berlin striker has netted just once in the Premier League this term, a stark contrast to his 16-goal haul across his previous two seasons with the two-time European champions.
Marinakis addressed the touchline incident, saying: “Everybody – coaching staff, players, supporters and including myself – we were frustrated around the injury of Taiwo and the medical staff’s misjudgment on Taiwo’s ability to continue the game. This is natural, this is a demonstration of the passion we feel for our club.”
Awoniyi, who joined Forest for a club-record £17 million in 2022, has cemented himself as a fan favourite at the City Ground. His winning goal against Arsenal in May 2023 proved crucial in preserving Forest’s Premier League status, and he subsequently became the first Forest player since Stan Collymore to score in six consecutive Premier League matches the following season.
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