Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo says the club is “concerned but positive” about Taiwo Awoniyi after the striker was put in an induced coma following a serious abdominal injury.
The 27-year-old Nigerian international had emergency surgery to repair internal damage suffered during the closing stages of Sunday’s 2-2 Premier League draw against Leicester City.
Awoniyi was taken to hospital for the first phase of surgery on Monday, with the second stage completed on Wednesday before he was woken up from the induced coma later that evening.
“He went to surgery, surgery went well. Thank god,” said Forest boss Nuno, speaking before Sunday’s trip to West Ham in the penultimate game of their season.
“He is under observation now, but he is recovering. We still have to wait for the doctors to allow visits.
“We are concerned but it is positive.”
Awoniyi was hurt when he collided with the post while trying to reach a cross from Anthony Elanga, who was offside in the build-up to the 88th-minute incident, but the assistant referee did not raise the flag until play was completed due to an offside protocol introduced in 2020.
Forest full-back Ola Aina said the injury “would never have happened” had the flag been raised earlier.
Nuno said medical staff are monitoring Awoniyi’s progress and added: “The information that we have is that at least five days, he has to be there under observation, so that everything goes well.
“I’ll try to visit him as soon as possible. He’s in good hands, and the family is there, which is what he really needs – the support there of the family.
“It has been very difficult because of the concern of the injury, the situation he went through.
“It’s been very difficult, very difficult on us and on everybody, the concern of the injury that he had, the situation that he entered through, it’s been hard on us.”
Awoniyi joined Forest from Union Berlin in 2022 and has scored 19 goals in 85 appearances across all competitions. He has also earned 10 caps for Nigeria, having made his international debut in 2021.
Nuno said: “The players are constantly chatting on the groups. We know that he’s well, he just needs time.
“I hope that next week he can join us and be around because he’s a wonderful boy, a wonderful boy, and this season has been so hard on him that he feels so sorry.”
