Nottingham Forest give Taiwo Awoniyi injury update after ‘urgent surgery’ and hail Marinakis for showing ‘deep care’
NOTTINGHAM FOREST announced Taiwo Awoniyi is recovering “well so far” after undergoing “urgent surgery”.
Awoniyi, 27, suffered a horrific abdominal injury during Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Leicester in the Premier League at City Ground.
https://twitter.com/NFFC/status/1922308419215647220/photo/1The striker crashed into the post on 87 minutes after stretching to meet a brilliant pass from Anthony Elanga on the right flank.
But following several minutes of treatment the Nigeria international was cleared to continue even though he did not look fit to play.
Forest told SunSport that was what led owner Evangelos Marinakis’ intense talk with manager Nuno Espírito Santo at full-time as he wasn’t happy with the way Awoniyi’s injury was handled.
And the Nigerian was rushed to hospital on Monday for emergency abdominal surgery after the Tricky Trees’ medical staff discovered the full extent of his problem.
Thankfully the centre-forward’s operation went well and he is currently recovering.
Forest shared the following statement: “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.
“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.”
Nottingham also explained Marinakis‘ angry reaction, which was met by criticism from the likes of Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher, came as a result of “deep care, responsibility, and emotional investment”.
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The statement continued: “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.
“In moments like that he demonstrates his leadership, not just through words, but through action and presence. In the final ten minutes of the game, when he saw our player clearly in discomfort, struggling through visible pain, it became increasingly difficult for him to stay on the sidelines.
“His deep frustration at seeing our player lying on the ground in severe pain -something no one with genuine care could ignore – triggered him to go onto the pitch.”
Forest stated there was no confrontation with Nuno but instead there was a “shared frustration” regarding the medical team’s decision to allow Awoniyi to continue.
‘There was no confrontation’
The statement also suggested Marinakis “would do the same again if such an unfortunate event were ever to reoccur”.
The announcement added: “It was instinctive, human, and a reflection of just how much this team and its people mean to him. He would do the same again if such an unfortunate event were ever to reoccur.
“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.
“Baseless and ill-informed outrage for the purposes of personal social media traction serves no one — least of all the injured player. We call on these influential voices to show the same respect for player welfare that they often demand from others. Let concern come before commentary.
“At Nottingham Forest, we believe the mental and physical well-being of our players and coaching staff must always take precedence — over media narratives, inflammatory judgements, and certainly over self-promotion.
“In moments like these, the game must unite around those who put their bodies and minds on the line every week. That’s what real leadership looks like in our game.”