Taiwo Awoniyi has inadvertently found himself at the centre of a legal storm involving former Manchester United defender Gary Neville, following an incident that sparked fierce criticism of Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis.
The Nigerian striker suffered a life-threatening injury earlier this month during Forest’s Premier League encounter with Leicester City, colliding with the goalpost in a second-half attempt on goal.
Though he remained on the pitch for several minutes, Awoniyi was eventually hospitalised and placed in an induced coma after being diagnosed with a ruptured intestine.
Forest owner Marinakis, visibly distraught, entered the pitch post-match to express his concern, confronting manager Nuno Espírito Santo over the handling of the incident.
The gesture drew condemnation from several pundits, including Neville, who described the owner’s behaviour as “scandalous” during his live Sky Sports commentary.
The pundit later doubled down on social media, urging Nuno to “negotiate his exit” from the club.
Neville’s remarks have now been cited in a £2.1m libel suit filed by Marinakis, who alleges that a coordinated smear campaign has led to “hostile and ill-founded criticism” from high-profile media figures.
According to legal documents presented by the businessman’s solicitors, Neville is listed among a group of journalists and pundits allegedly targeted as part of a misinformation campaign.
Marinakis, who also owns Greek side Olympiacos, claims the broader defamation campaign was orchestrated by Irini Karipidis, owner of rival club Aris, and Ari Harow, a former Israeli political adviser.
He accuses the pair of falsely labelling him as a “leader of a criminal organisation” involved in match-fixing, arson, fraud, and even international drug trafficking. Both Karipidis and Harow deny the allegations.
While the legal battle unfolds, Forest’s handling of Awoniyi’s injury continues to be a point of debate.
A club statement defended Marinakis’s actions, insisting his intervention was born out of legitimate concern for the player’s wellbeing.
Sources within the club have expressed disappointment that the owner’s emotional reaction to a medical emergency has been weaponised in public discourse.
The inclusion of Neville’s comments in the libel claim suggests that Marinakis’s legal team is taking particular issue with how the incident surrounding Awoniyi has been framed by British pundits.
Awoniyi, who is currently recovering after the emergency surgery, was in the stand on Sunday as Forest fell to 1-0 defeat to Chelsea in their final 2024/25 EPL game.
However, Forest officials have reiterated their full support for the player and expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support from fans and the wider football community.
