By Kelly Were
Nottingham Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has called on his team to channel the resilience shown by Taiwo Awoniyi during his recovery from a severe injury as motivation to secure a place in the Champions League—a feat the club has not achieved since the 1980-81 season.
Forest approach their final Premier League fixture against Chelsea on Sunday with the chance to reach Europe’s premier club competition for the first time in over four decades. Currently sitting seventh, Forest must beat fifth-placed Chelsea at the City Ground and rely on Newcastle or Aston Villa failing to win their matches against Everton and Manchester United respectively to clinch a top-five finish.
Such an achievement would be remarkable considering Forest fought to avoid relegation just last season.
Nuno emphasized that the team’s push for a historic finish will also honor Awoniyi, who is recovering after suffering a serious abdominal injury during a recent draw against Leicester City. The Nigerian striker was placed in an induced coma following surgery, and the squad has shown their support by wearing shirts bearing Awoniyi’s name and number during warm-ups, with midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White even kissing a shirt in celebration after scoring at West Ham.
“It’s going to be for Taiwo,” Nuno told reporters on Friday. “He won’t be with us on the pitch, but what happened is always on our minds. We want to see him healthy, enjoying being part of the group again. So, everything we do will be for Taiwo, for the team, the fans, the city, for everyone. But when it comes to the game, we will just play.”
Nuno shared a hopeful update on Awoniyi’s condition, noting that the striker is improving steadily. “He’s much better now. He’s already able to walk. The doctor told me he’s starting to resume normal life, including his diet.”
Even if Forest fall short of the Champions League spot, a victory over Chelsea could still secure qualification for the Europa League.
Speculation about Nuno’s future at Forest has surfaced, with reports linking him to Italian club Roma. However, the Portuguese coach dismissed such rumors outright. “Do you really think I’d waste time on that?” he said. “There’s too much to focus on: preparing the team, finding the best solutions, and working on the details for my players. Nothing else matters right now.”
