woniyi’s Recovery Progress
Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi has woken from an induced coma following emergency surgery for a ruptured intestine, sustained during a 2-2 Premier League draw against Leicester City on May 11, 2025, as reported by Goal.com. The 27-year-old Nigerian collided with a goalpost in the 88th minute while chasing a cross from Anthony Elanga, initially continuing play despite visible pain due to Forest’s exhausted substitutions. After extensive on-field treatment, Awoniyi was hospitalized, undergoing surgery on Monday and a second procedure on Wednesday to close the abdominal wound. The coma, used to stabilize his condition, was lifted Wednesday evening, with Forest confirming he is “recovering well,” per BBC Sport. On X, @NFFC thanked fans for support, while @Football_Talk hailed Awoniyi’s “resilience.”
Controversy and Review
The incident sparked controversy, with Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis confronting manager Nuno Espírito Santo post-match over the medical team’s decision to allow Awoniyi to continue, per The Independent. A club statement expressed “shared frustration” with the medical staff’s judgment, prompting a full review, according to BBC Sport. Teammate Ola Aina criticized the delayed offside flag, noting Elanga was offside, which could have prevented the play, per The Mirror. The Professional Footballers’ Association plans to discuss rule changes with IFAB and PGMOL to address such incidents, per Yahoo Sport. Awoniyi, with one goal in three starts this season, will miss Forest’s final matches against West Ham and Chelsea, as the team, seventh with 28 points, chases a Champions League spot, per Opta. X posts from @PremierLeagueHQ reflected fans’ relief at his stable condition.
