Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo offered a cautiously hopeful update, revealing that Awoniyi is expected to remain under observation for at least five days. “He went to surgery — surgery went well, thank God,” said Nuno. “He is in recovery now, and we are waiting for the doctors to allow visits. He is in good hands and with his family. Hopefully, next week he can be around the team again.”
The injury occurred during stoppage time in Forest’s 2-2 draw with Leicester City. Awoniyi, attempting to convert a low cross that could have sealed a win, collided violently with the post — unaware the move would later be ruled offside. Despite the serious nature of the collision, the 27-year-old continued to play for several more minutes before being taken for surgery the following day.
That sequence of events has drawn criticism toward the delayed offside protocol, a rule introduced in 2020 to allow attacking plays to develop before raising the flag. However, critics argue that the directive, intended to benefit fluid play, may come at the cost of player safety.
Ola Aina, a teammate of Awoniyi for both Forest and Nigeria, voiced frustration over the officiating. “You think ‘offside’ straight away,” he said. “Surely you could just lift the flag up? Anthony [Elanga] was miles offside. The whole world could see it. None of this would have happened to T [Awoniyi] if the flag had just gone up.”
Aina confirmed he and other teammates have reached out to Awoniyi to show support. “I’ve sent him a message, and the whole team has too. I’ve heard he’s recovering well, so hopefully we hear from him soon.”
According to Nuno, the squad has remained in close contact with Awoniyi through group chats. The Forest manager praised the striker’s character, saying, “He’s a wonderful boy, and this season has been so hard on him. We feel so sorry. But the team is with him.”
This latest setback follows a string of misfortunes for Awoniyi, who earlier in the season suffered a broken nose during an FA Cup match and has seen limited Premier League action — just 402 minutes — due to injuries and stiff competition from teammate Chris Wood.
As the football world sends well-wishes and Forest prepares to face West Ham, questions persist not only about Awoniyi’s recovery timeline but also about the cost of officiating rules designed for spectacle rather than safety. For now, Forest hopes to see their striker on the sidelines for the final match of the season — not on the pitch, but among his teammates, where his presence continues to inspire.