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Nuno urges Forest to seal Champions League place for Awoniyi / Photo: © AFP/File
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Nuno urges Forest to seal Champions League place for Awoniyi
Nuno Espirito Santo has urged Nottingham Forest to use Taiwo Awoniyi's recovery from his horrific injury as their inspiration to seal a historic place in the Champions League.
Nuno's side head into their last game of the Premier League season against Chelsea on Sunday aiming to reach Europe's elite club competition for the first time since 1980-81.
If seventh-placed Forest beat fifth-placed Chelsea at the City Ground and fourth-placed Newcastle or sixth-placed Aston Villa fail to win against Everton and Manchester United respectively, Nuno's men will be guaranteed a top-five finish.
That would be a remarkable achievement for a club that battled to avoid relegation last season.
And Nuno added to the incentive for his players as he challenged them to prove an uplifting end to the season for Awoniyi.
Forest's Nigerian star sustained a serious abdominal injury after colliding with a post in Forest's recent draw against Leicester and is recovering after being placed in an induced coma following surgery.
Forest's players wore T-shirts with Awoniyi's name and number on the back during the warm-up before last week's win at West Ham and Morgan Gibbs-White kissed a shirt bearing the Nigerian's name after scoring in that game.
"It's going to be for Taiwo. He's not going to be with us. It was a big issue what happened to him and it's in our minds," Nuno told reporters on Friday.
"We want to see him totally healthy, enjoying the group, so it's going to be for Taiwo again. For him, for us, for the fans, for the city, for everybody. But we will just play the game."
Nuno gave a positive update on Awoniyi's recovery on Friday, adding: "He's much better. He's already been able to walk.
"The doctor has informed me he's starting his normal life in terms of food, so he's much better."
If results elsewhere deny Forest a Champions League place, they can still clinch a Europa League berth by beating Chelsea.
Reports this week suggested Nuno could leave Forest at the end of the season, with Italian club Roma said to be interested in the Portuguese coach.
But Nuno dismissed the speculation over his future, adding: "Do you really think I'm going to waste time on that?
"So much to think and get ready for. My main focus is preparing the team, getting best solutions and details for players. Nothing else."
M. Taylor--BTZ
