Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery on an abdominal injury, according to reports on Monday.
The Nigerian international suffered the injury when he collided with a post during Forest’s 2-2 draw against Leicester at the City Ground on Sunday.
Awoniyi had stretched in a failed bid to convert Anthony Elanga’s cross and tried to carry on playing after receiving several minutes of treatment.
He received treatment on the pitch and was able to continue but was visibly struggling when the match restarted.
However, the true extent of the injury was only discovered by Forest’s medical staff on Monday, and reports said he was immediately taken for the surgery, which was not believed to be life-threatening.
“The Club can confirm Taiwo Awoniyi has undergone urgent surgery following an abdominal injury sustained during Sunday’s match against Leicester City,” the club said in a statement on their X handle.
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Awoniyi, who joined Forest from Union Berlin in June 2022, had only been on the pitch for five minutes having come on as a late substitute for Ibrahim Sangare.
Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis indicated in an Instagram, external post that his decision to march on to the pitch at the full-time whistle had been in part due to his view on how the injury suffered by Awoniyi had been handled.
“Everybody – coaching staff, players, supporters and including myself – we were frustrated around the injury of Taiwo and the medical staff’s misjudgement on Taiwo’s ability to continue the game. “Everyone at Nottingham Forest sends their best wishes to Taiwo. The Club will provide further updates when appropriate,” Marinakis said
“This is natural, this is a demonstration of the passion we feel for our club.”
The incident had provoked an angry reaction from Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, who stormed on to the pitch and confronted boss Nuno Espirito Santo in a bizarre incident after the final whistle.
Marinakis said he was concerned about Awoniyi’s condition after he was left on despite Nuno consulting with his medical staff during stoppage-time.
Awoniyi, who was at Liverpool between 2015 and 2021 but never made a senior appearance, has scored once in the Premier League for Forest this season.