Nottingham Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has provided an update on the condition of forward Taiwo Awoniyi.
Towards the end of last Sunday’s Premier League fixture with Leicester City, Awoniyi collided with the post when attempting to convert a low cross that would have put Forest into a 3-2 lead, unbeknownst to him that he would have been flagged offside.
Amid confusion over his capabilities to continue, the Nigeria international completed around seven minutes of added-on time, but he was rushed into emergency surgery on Monday, allegedly a result of a ruptured intestine.
Awoniyi was placed in an induced coma on Tuesday before a second round of surgery on Wednesday, and the 27-year-old will remain in hospital for the foreseeable future.
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“We are concerned but it is positive”
Speaking at a press conference ahead of Sunday’s Premier League fixture at West Ham United, Nuno opened up on the incident and concern that has been felt at the City Ground.
The Portuguese told reporters: “He went to surgery, surgery went well, thank God. He is under observation now, but he is recovering. We still have to wait for the doctors to allow visits.
“We are concerned but it is positive. It has been very difficult because of the concern of the injury, the situation he went through.
“It’s been very difficult, very difficult on us and on everybody, the concern of the injury that he had, the situation that he has been through, it’s been hard on us.
“The information that we have is that at least five days he has to be there under observation, so that everything goes well.
“I’ll try to visit him as soon as possible. He’s in good hands, and the family is there, which is what he really needs – the support there of the family.
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“The players are constantly chatting on the groups. We know that he’s well, he just needs time.
“I hope that next week he can join us and be around because he’s a wonderful boy, a wonderful boy, and this season has been so hard on him that he feels so sorry.”
Earlier in the season, Awoniyi suffered a broken nose in an FA Cup tie at Exeter City, while the form of Chris Wood has restricted him to just 402 minutes in the Premier League.
A potential length of time for his recovery period is yet to be revealed or even suggested due to the seriousness of the injury that he suffered.
