Taiwo Awoniyi had urgent surgery on Monday night after the Nottingham Forest striker sustained a serious abdominal injury in the match against Leicester on Sunday.
The Nigeria international collided with the post late on in Forest’s 2-2 Premier League draw with their East Midlands rivals at the City Ground. The surgery was required swiftly to treat the nature of the injury, which is understood not to be life-threatening.
Awoniyi tried to carry on playing after receiving several minutes of treatment but the extent of the injury was discovered when assessed by medical staff on Monday.
The incident was the source of Evangelos Marinakis’s frustration: the Forest owner stormed on to the pitch and confronted the manager, Nuno Espírito Santo, after the match. Awoniyi returned to action but was unable to move properly as Forest were chasing a late goal which would have been vital to their Champions League hopes. Marinakis was unhappy a substitution was not made.
To make matters worse the incident, where the Leicester midfielder Facundo Buonanotte also collided with the upright, happened after Anthony Elanga was allowed to advance on goal, despite being clearly offside. Play continued after the assistant referee delayed putting up the flag, with both players colliding with the post at speed.
It was a disappointing day for Forest and a blow to their Champions League hopes. Winning their last two games, including a final-day meeting with Chelsea, might not be enough unless Aston Villa, Manchester City or Newcastle drop points along the way.
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Forest, however, are assured of at least a place in the Conference League, in which they would play their European football since 1995-96.
