Nottingham Forest Forward Taiwo Awoniyi Placed in Induced Coma Following Emergency Abdominal Surgery

Nottingham Forest’s push for a first-ever UEFA Champions League berth has been rocked by a freak accident to 27-year-old striker Taiwo Awoniyi. During Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Leicester City, the Nigerian international slid into the upright while chasing a cross but, after eight minutes of treatment, insisted on playing on. Subsequent scans revealed a ruptured section of his small intestine; he was rushed to Queen’s Medical Centre on Monday and underwent life-saving surgery the next morning. Forest confirmed the operation “went to plan” and explained that the induced coma is purely to curb movement and stabilise heart rhythm, a standard protocol after major abdominal procedures.

Awoniyi’s absence is a sizeable statistical blow. Although limited to 32 competitive appearances this season, he has still contributed two Premier League goals, bringing his top-flight tally for Forest to 14 since arriving in 2022. Forest sit seventh with 62 points—just a fraction behind the Champions League places—and average 1.56 goals per match when Awoniyi starts compared with 1.28 without him.

Internal-organ trauma remains exceptionally rare in elite football—large cohort studies place the incidence below 1 percent of total match injuries—but such cases carry a disproportionate risk if diagnosis is delayed. Owner Evangelos Marinakis, incensed that the striker was allowed to continue, confronted staff on the pitch after full-time; the club later clarified that “shared frustration” rather than managerial dispute fuelled the exchange.

Early indications are positive: Forest’s medical bulletin notes stable haemodynamic readings and no postoperative infection so far. Comparable case studies suggest at least a six-week convalescence before non-contact training, but the timeline will hinge on bowel healing and aerobic conditioning.

For a side whose expected-goals differential (+0.12 per game) is already the narrowest in the top eight, replacing Awoniyi’s pressing and hold-up play will be critical in the season’s closing stretch.

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