Awoniyi in induced coma after Leicester injury

Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi placed in induced coma after urgent surgery, sparking backlash over Nuno’s handling during Leicester clash.

Evangelos Marinakis tearing into Nuno Espirito Santo after refusing to remove injured Taiwo Awoniyi in Forest's 2-2 draw against Leicester on Sunday. The result left Forest's Champions League qualification in Jeopardy. (Photo credit: The Athletics)

While it was obvious to every eye watching the game between Nottingham Forest and Leicester City on Sunday that Taiwo Awoniyi was in discomfort, the indiscretion of manager Nuno Espírito Santo has now come home to roost.

News came out on Monday that the Nigerian striker has undergone "urgent" abdominal surgery, and with the situation going out of control, Awoniyi has now been placed under an induced coma.

The Nigerian international came on as a late substitute as Forest chased the game after being pegged back to 2-2 in a game they needed to win, only to collide with the frame of the goal as he attempted to make contact with the ball at Leicester's goalmouth.

The result was a lengthy treatment on the sidelines and a heavy debate in the Leicester dugout as young midfielder Elliot Anderson was about to be removed for Portuguese Jota, and everyone thought the Nigerian should have been removed instead.

Awoniyi was placed in an induced coma to aid his recovery from Monday's operation by helping to restrict his movement and regulate his heart rate, Britain's PA news agency reported. The second part of his surgery is scheduled to be completed on Wednesday, according to the BBC.

Forest had released a statement after Awoniyi's surgery, saying he was "recovering well". The team has two games left in the Premier League as they chase Champions League football; however, the stalemate against Leicester has taken things out of their hands.

Forest are away to West Ham next and then have a six-pointer at home against Chelsea on the final day; they must, however, beat West Ham at the London Stadium for a win to indeed count for them on the final day against the Blues.

Club chairman Evangelos Marinakis was seen expressing his disgust at Nuno's decision to keep Awoniyi on after full time on Sunday, suggesting a miscommunication between the medics and the bench as he expected the Nigerian to have been hauled off.

However, Awoniyi was in discomfort for the rest of the game, effectively leaving Forest down to 10 players and hampering its hopes of a winner.

In its statement, Forest said Marinakis' post-match reaction "was one of deep care, responsibility, and emotional investment in one of our own."

"In moments like that, he demonstrates his leadership, not just through words, but through action and presence," the statement read. "In the final 10 minutes of the game, when he saw our player clearly in discomfort, struggling through visible pain, it became increasingly difficult for him to stay on the sidelines.

"His deep frustration at seeing our player lying on the ground in severe pain -- something no one with genuine care could ignore -- triggered him to go onto the pitch. It was instinctive, human, and a reflection of just how much this team and its people mean to him."