NOTTINGHAM, England (AP) — Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi has undergone “urgent” surgery on an injury that was the subject of a heavily debated on-field discussion between the club's manager and owner after a Premier League game at the weekend.
The Nigeria international was injured when colliding with the goal frame after coming on as a second-half substitute during the 2-2 draw against Leicester on Sunday.
Forest didn't say Tuesday for how long it expects Awoniyi to be sidelined. The team has two games left in the Premier League — at West Ham and at home to Chelsea — as it seeks to qualify for the Champions League.
After the game against Leicester, Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis entered the field and remonstrated with manager Nuno Espirito Santo.
Espirito Santo said Marinakis was frustrated because of a miscommunication between the bench and medical staff after the injury to Awoniyi.
After receiving treatment, the striker signaled he was OK to continue so Espirito Santo left him on and immediately made his final substitution, taking off Elliot Anderson for Jota Silva in the first minute of stoppage time.
However, Awoniyi was in discomfort for the rest of the game, effectively leaving Forest down to 10 players and hampering its hopes of a winner.
Marinakis relinquished his position as a person with significant control of Forest in recent weeks as the club closed in on unlikely Champions League qualification.
UEFA has rules to bar clubs from its competitions in any season if owners have “decisive influence” over two clubs which qualify. Marinakis is also president of Olympiacos, which has qualified as Greek champion.
With two rounds of the season to go, Forest is seventh — one point behind fifth-placed Chelsea. The top five will qualify for the Champions League.
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The Associated Press
