- Awoniyi, 27, suffered a serious abdominal injury during 2-2 draw with Leicester
- Star was in induced coma after receiving intensive care following an operation
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Nuno Espirito Santo hopes Taiwo Awoniyi can be reunited with his Nottingham Forest team-mates next week although the Nigerian remained in hospital on Friday.
Awoniyi underwent urgent surgery to repair a ruptured intestine, sustained when he collided with a post during Forest’s 2-2 draw with Leicester last weekend.
As revealed by Mail Sport, Forest players will show their support for Awoniyi at West Ham on Sunday. After that, they face Chelsea at the City Ground on May 25 and Nuno believes they will need to win both to have a chance of reaching next season’s Champions League.
He said: ‘The information we have is that he has to be there (in hospital) for at least five days under observation. I will try to visit as soon as possible. He is in good hands and has his family there.
‘The players are constantly chatting in their groups and we know he is well. He just needs time.
‘I hope next week he can join us and be around. He is a wonderful boy and this season has been so hard on him. We feel so sorry.
Taiwo Awoniyi is recovering after undergoing surgery to repair a ruptured intestine
Nuno Espirito Santo hopes Taiwo Awoniyi can be reunited with his Forest team-mates soon
He sustained the injury when he collided with a post during Forest’s 2-2 draw with Leicester
‘He went to surgery, surgery went well, thank God,’ Nuno explained. ‘He is under observation now, but he is recovering, we still have to wait for the doctors to allow visits.
‘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 entered through, it’s been hard on us.’
After spending most of the season in the top five, Forest have slipped out of the Champions League spots – even though last weekend’s disappointing result against Leicester at least guaranteed they would compete in European football for the first time this century.
Even two victories at this stage of the competition might not be enough but Nuno is urging his players to make one final push.
He added: ‘This is our last chance to try to fight for the Champions League. It’s as clear as that. It’s something so huge for us and everyone in the club has to give an extra effort to achieve it.’
