Nottingham Forest speak on ‘confrontation’ with Taiwo Awoniyi placed in an induced coma

Nottingham Forest speak on the reported ‘confrontation’ with news emerging that Taiwo Awoniyi has been placed in an induced coma.

The club confirmed that Taiwo Awoniyi was recovering well after urgent surgery for a serious abdominal injury sustained during a Premier League fixture against Leicester City.

They emphasised that player health and well-being are paramount, reflecting the values of owner Evangelos Marinakis, who views the team as family.

Marinakis’ emotional reaction, including entering the pitch when Awoniyi was in visible pain, stemmed from deep care and frustration that the medical team allowed the player to continue.

The club clarifies there was no confrontation with coach Nuno or others, only shared concern.

Nottingham Forest urges public figures to avoid spreading misinformation online and to prioritise player welfare over sensationalism, stressing that the mental and physical well-being of players and staff comes first.

Shortly after footage of Nuno and Marinakis, Neville took to Twitter and wrote: ‘Scandalous from that Forest owner. Nuno should go and negotiate his exit tonight with him! The Forest fans, players and manager do not deserve that.’

It has since been confirmed that Awoniyi is in an induced coma after having the first phase of surgery on a serious abdominal injury.

The 27-year-old crashed into a post, received treatment, and briefly continued playing before being substituted.

Surgery, which began Monday and was expected to conclude on Wednesday, is reportedly successful so far, with Awoniyi recovering well.

The injury occurred as Forest had no substitutions left, forcing them to finish with 10 men. The club defended their medical staff and criticised pundit Gary Neville and others for questioning owner Evangelos Marinakis, who went over to manager Nuno Espirito Santo post-match.

The incident was compounded by a controversial offside call involving Anthony Elanga, whose cross led to Awoniyi’s injury.

Breaking: #nffc striker Taiwo Awoniyi taken to hospital this evening, and is due to undergo urgent abdominal surgery, I’m told. Complications discovered today by club medical staff, who took him straight to hospital. Awoniyi tried to play on, but was in obvious pain v #lcfc.

— Rob Dorsett (@RobDorsettSky) May 12, 2025

UPDATE: Taiwo Awoniyi has been placed into an induced coma and is receiving intensive care following ‘urgent’ surgery. Early signs are thought to be positive. Aim is to complete his operation tomorrow. https://t.co/T6sEYJz27Y

— Mike Keegan (@MikeKeegan_DM) May 13, 2025

STATEMENT:

Nottingham Forest can confirm that Taiwo Awoniyi is recovering well so far following urgent surgery on a serious abdominal injury sustained during Sunday’s match against Leicester City.

The seriousness of his injury is a powerful reminder of the physical risks in the game, and why a player’s health and well-being must always come first. At Nottingham Forest, this principle is not just policy for us; it is the deeply held belief and conviction of our owner. To Evangelos Marinakis, this isn’t just a football club — it’s family – and he instils that message in all of us.

That is why he was so personally and emotionally invested in the situation that unfolded at the City Ground on Sunday. His reaction was one of deep care, responsibility, and emotional investment in one of our own. He didn’t just see it as an isolated incident, but as something that reflected the values and unity of the entire team.

In moments like that he demonstrates his leadership, not just through words, but through action and presence. In the final ten 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. He would do the same again if such an unfortunate event were ever to reoccur.

The truth of the matter is there was no confrontation, with Nuno or with others, either on the pitch or inside the stadium. There was only shared frustration between all of us that the medical team should never have allowed the player to continue.

In light of this, we urge former coaches and players, and other public figures in the game, to resist the urge to rush to judgement and fake news online, especially when they do not have the full facts and context. Baseless and ill-informed outrage for the purposes of personal social media traction serves no one — least of all the injured player. We call on these influential voices to show the same respect for player welfare that they often demand from others. Let concern come before commentary.

At Nottingham Forest, we believe the mental and physical well-being of our players and coaching staff must always take precedence — over media narratives, inflammatory judgements, and certainly over self-promotion. In moments like these, the game must unite around those who put their bodies and minds on the line every week. That’s what real leadership looks like in our game.

– STATEMENT ENDS –

Nott’m Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis issues statement after Nuno explains confrontation

Twitter users reacted as Nottingham Forest speak on the so called ‘confrontation’ with Taiwo Awoniyi since being placed in an induced coma…

@NFFC_EPL: Taiwo is fighting for his life. Neville was very quick to tweet about Marinakis. Just because he came on the pitch furious that Taiwo was kept on. Absolutely vile. Has he since apologised? No. Has he wished the player well? No. You’re an absolute prick @GNev2. Vile human #NFFC

@NeilF24: Delaying the offside flag has been an accident waiting to happen for years and yet it’s going to take a serious injury like this to flag it up to the lawmakers. Thoughts are with Taiwo and his relatives. I’m sure the whole #NFFC family will rally behind him 🙏

@flash_mufc9: 1. The delayed flag rule needs reconsidering. Someone getting seriously hurt as a result of it was always going to happen. 2. The likes of @SkySports and @GNev2 need to apologise.

@Guy_Walvin: Yet all these people in football can only talk about is Marinakis coming on the pitch! Look at the bigger picture, scrap this fucking stupid rule

@MattyBirddd: This has to be reason number one to why that stupid rule of delaying the offside flag gets scrapped

@Tyler7Smith: A reminder, this came as a result of a lino not lifting the flag despite being obviously offside. Resulting in an injury, urgent surgery and an induced coma. There was always going to be a significant injury within this rule, hopefully now its looked at.

@ChloeRT9: Oh my god, this is horrific. Rules need changing asap

@_Symmo: So first it’s Mings ACL, this even more incredibly serious issue, and countless others – all because a Lino won’t put their flag up anymore and wait for play to continue. Something badly needs addressing.

@byronthearab: We need to get rid of delaying the flag, this was inevitable.

@LiamHenton: All over the fucking stupid offside rule. FA needs to urgently look at that. Before somebody dies

@jma_01: Player safety has to come before a potential goal in these situations. Absolutely thudded into that post probably himself knowing it wouldn’t count had he put it in, but went for it on the 1% chance it might count.

The incident happened because we now have to delay offside decisions like this…

Another brilliant PGMOL addition. https://t.co/AGyID6Gt91 pic.twitter.com/9XnSlYwy4P

— george (@StokeyyG2) May 13, 2025