Nuno Pushes Nottingham Forest to Secure Champions League Spot for Awoniyi

Nuno’s side heads into their final Premier League game of the season against Chelsea on Sunday, with the ambition of reaching Europe’s elite club competition for the first time since 1980-81.

For Forest, currently in seventh place, a victory over fifth-placed Chelsea at the City Ground would secure them a top-five finish, provided that fourth-placed Newcastle and sixth-placed Aston Villa do not emerge victorious against Everton and Manchester United, respectively. This achievement would be remarkable for a club that fought hard to avoid relegation last season.

Nuno has further energized his players by passionately urging them to deliver an unforgettable season finale in honor of Awoniyi, a testament to their unity and determination. Awoniyi, who has been a crucial player for the team this season, unfortunately suffered a severe abdominal injury during their recent match against Leicester City. The injury occurred after he collided violently with a post while attempting to make a critical play. Following the incident, he underwent emergency surgery and was placed in an induced coma to aid his recovery. As he focuses on healing, his teammates are motivated to channel their emotions into a powerful performance to honor his spirit and contributions to the team.
In solidarity, Forest’s players wore T-shirts with Awoniyi’s name and number during the warm-up before last week’s win at West Ham, with Morgan Gibbs-White even kissing a shirt bearing the Nigerian’s name after scoring.

“It’s going to be for Taiwo,” Nuno expressed to reporters on Friday. “He’s not going to be with us. What happened to him was significant, and it’s on our minds. We want to see him fully healthy and enjoying life again, so this game is for him, for us, for the fans, for the city, for everybody. But we will just play the game.”

Nuno also provided a positive update on Awoniyi’s recovery, stating, “He’s much better. He’s already been able to walk. The doctor informed me he’s starting to return to normalcy in his life regarding food, so he’s improving.”

If circumstances deny Forest a Champions League spot, they can still secure a place in the Europa League by defeating Chelsea. There have been reports suggesting that Nuno might part ways with Forest at the end of the season, with Italian club Roma reportedly interested in the Portuguese coach. Nuno, however, dismissed the rumors over his future, saying, “Do you really think I’m going to waste time on that? A lot needs to be considered and planned for. My entire attention is on getting the team ready and figuring out the best details and answers for the players. Not a word more.