Taiwo Awoniyi has been placed in an induced coma after undergoing abdominal surgery, talkSPORT understands.
The Nottingham Forest striker collided into a goal post during their 2-2 home draw against Leicester at the weekend and received treatment.
He came back on and completed the match at the City Ground despite appearing to be in discomfort.
Awoniyi was subsequently taken to hospital on Monday evening after complications were discovered by club medical staff.
Forest confirmed earlier on Tuesday that Awoniyi was ‘recovering well’ from the procedure.
However, doctors have now placed him under an induced coma, which is used to aid recovery.
It’s unclear whether or not Awoniyi will have another operation, but it’s understood the injury he had could have been life-threatening.
“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 added in their aforementioned statement.
They also acknowledged the full-time scenes in which club owner Evangelos Marinakis took to the pitch and appeared to confront manager Nuno Espirito Santo.
“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.”
Awoniyi came on as a substitute for Forest in the 83rd minute on Sunday and sustained the injury in a move that was later flagged for offside.
Forest dropped points in the race for Champions League qualification and are seventh in the table with two games remaining.
But they are just one point behind Chelsea, who they host on the final day of the season.
