Taiwo Awoniyi, a striker for Nigeria’s Super Eagles and English club Nottingham Forest, is currently in an induced coma and under intensive care. This comes after he had to undergo emergency surgery due to a serious injury in his abdomen.

The 27-year-old was hurt during a 2-2 draw against Leicester City on Sunday. He hit the goalpost and received medical attention before briefly returning to play. Later, he was taken off the field due to the seriousness of the injury.

On Tuesday, May 13, Nottingham Forest shared that Awoniyi had urgent surgery after doctors confirmed how bad the injury was. He was quickly rushed to the hospital for treatment.

Reports say the surgery went well, although it was a complex procedure. Doctors were planning to complete the process that same day.

This kind of injury can sometimes be deadly. However, Nottingham Forest said Awoniyi is recovering and doing well after the operation.

Along with the update, the club also criticized its own medical team.

Awoniyi wasn’t taken off right away because Forest had already used all their substitutions. He tried to keep playing but couldn’t move properly. The team ended the match with 10 players, missing a chance to win and strengthen their Champions League hopes.

At the end of the game, club owner Evangelos Marinakis appeared upset with the team’s coach, Nuno Espirito Santo.

The club later released a statement explaining the owner’s actions. They said Awoniyi’s injury shows how dangerous football can be and why players’ health must always come first.

According to the statement, Marinakis reacted emotionally because he sees the club as family and deeply cares about the players.

The club said his response came from genuine concern. He wasn’t angry or trying to blame anyone. He just wanted to protect his player.

They added that there was no fight with the coach or anyone else, only shared frustration. The club believes Awoniyi should not have been allowed to keep playing after the injury.

The club also asked former coaches, players, and public figures not to jump to conclusions online. They warned against spreading false stories for attention.

They urged everyone to focus on supporting injured players instead of spreading rumors. Player health should always come first.