Nottingham Forest forward Taiwo Awoniyi has been taken to hospital to undergo urgent abdominal surgery, it has been reported.
Awoniyi picked up an injury during Forest’s 2-2 draw at home to Leicester which was marred by Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis’ furious on-pitch meltdown at manager Nuno Espirito Santo at full time.
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The Nigeria international received treatment during the closing stages of the match but made his way back onto the pitch as Forest searched for a winner.
Awoniyi completed the rest of the match despite looking in huge discomfort and Sky Sports reports that Awoniyi’s injury is much worse than initially thought.
The report adds that Awoiniyi was taken to hospital on Monday evening for urgent abdominal surgery after complications were discovered by club medical staff.
Marinakis revealed after the game that the decision not to substitute Awoniyi was the reason for his outrage.
“Today is a day for celebration because after 30 years Nottingham Forest is guaranteed to be competing on the European stage once again, a promise I made to our supporters when we achieved promotion!” Marinakis said in a statement.
“With two more games to go in the Premier League, we must keep believing and keep dreaming, right to the final kick of the game.
“We are extremely proud of and close to Nuno and the team, and we must celebrate the historic achievements of this season.
“Everybody – coaching staff, players, supporters and including myself – we were frustrated around the injury of Taiwo and the medical staff’s misjudgement on Taiwo’s ability to continue the game.
“This is natural, this is a demonstration of the passion we feel for our club.”
Forest’s draw to their already relegated rivals secured European football for the first time in 29 years.
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However, it’s viewed as a disappointing result because it leave them in seventh spot and thus with an outside chance of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
The two-time European champions, who only earned promotion back to the Premier League in 2022, spent much of the season inside the top four.
However, a run of just one win in six league outings has seen Forest slip out of the Champions League spots.
