Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi was placed in a medically induced coma after undergoing an abdominal surgery following an incident where he collided with the goalpost during the team’s 2-2 draw with Leicester on Sunday, according to the BBC.
The 27-year-old slammed into the post in the 88th minute of the match at the City Ground on Sunday while trying to make a play on a cross. Awoniyi and Leicester’s Facundo Buonanotte collided with the post — Awoniyi’s stomach drilled the post directly — but they both made it back up to their feet.
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While Awoniyi and Buonanotte finished out the match, Awoniyi later doubled over in pain and struggled to move in the final minutes. It actually appeared to spark a heated confrontation between owner Evangelos Marinakis and manager Nuno Espirito Santo on the field, too, though Forest has tried to dismiss those claims.
Awoniyi underwent abdominal surgery Monday after the club realized the extent of his injuries. He was then placed into the coma to help aid his recovery. According to The Guardian, there is no suggestion that the injury is life threatening, and the coma is being used to restrict his movement and regulate his heart rate.
He is set to undergo a second surgery Wednesday. Further specifics of his injury, or when he’ll be able to compete again, are not yet known.
“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” Forest said in a statement, in part. “At Nottingham Forest, this principle is not just policy for us, it is the deeply held belief and conviction of our owner.”
Awoniyi is in his third season with Forest this year. He’s made three starts and scored one goal this season, which marks his third in the Premier League. Forest has two matches left this season, starting with West Ham United on Sunday. They currently sit in seventh in the Premier League standings, and are trying to make a last-minute push into the top five to qualify for the Champions League.
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