Nottingham Forest and Nigerian striker Taiwo Awoniyi is now awake and recovering in hospital after being placed in an induced coma following emergency abdominal surgery. The 27-year-old suffered a serious injury during Forest’s 2-2 draw with Leicester City on Sunday, colliding with the goalpost late in the match while trying to score from a cross by Anthony Elanga.
Awoniyi, who had come on as a substitute, was treated on the pitch for several minutes before continuing to play, as Forest had already used all their substitutions. However, his condition worsened, and he was rushed to hospital on Monday night. Doctors discovered he had a ruptured intestine and performed the first phase of surgery that evening. He was kept in an induced coma to help his recovery and underwent a second operation on Wednesday to close the wound.
Forest confirmed that Awoniyi is now out of the coma and recovering well, surrounded by his family. The club described his injury as a powerful reminder of the risks footballers face and stressed that player health and well-being must always come first.
The incident has also reignited debate over the current offside rule. Elanga, who provided the cross, was offside, but the assistant referee did not raise the flag immediately, following VAR protocols that require officials to wait until a goal-scoring chance is over. Critics, including Forest defender Ola Aina, argue that this delay puts players at unnecessary risk, as seen in Awoniyi’s case.
Forest’s owner, Evangelos Marinakis, expressed deep concern for Awoniyi, and the club is conducting an internal review to understand how the injury was managed, especially since Awoniyi continued playing despite being in pain.
Summary:
Taiwo Awoniyi is now out of an induced coma and recovering after emergency surgery for a ruptured intestine suffered during a match. The incident has led to renewed scrutiny of football’s offside rule and highlighted the importance of prioritizing player safety above all else.
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