Forest coach sustain head injury while celebrating Chris Wood's goal against Brentford, requiring stitches
In a dramatic turn of events during Nottingham Forest's 2025-26 Premier League season opener against Brentford, goalkeeping coach Rui Barbosa sustained a head injury that required six stitches after celebrating Chris Wood's opening goal[1][2][3].
Barbosa's joy was short-lived as he collided with the dugout's overhead structure during the celebration, resulting in a significant head wound[1][2]. Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo described the injury as "nasty" and confirmed that Barbosa received six stitches[1][2].
The incident occurred just five minutes into the match, significantly boosting Nottingham Forest's morale and the energy of the home crowd. Chris Wood's goal sent the City Ground into raptures, indicating a significant level of excitement among the spectators[1][2][3].
Despite the injury, Nuno Espirito Santo expressed satisfaction with Nottingham Forest's performance in the game. The team dominated the match, playing well and controlling the game[1][2]. Dan Ndoye also scored his debut goal for the club in the same match[1][2].
Brentford's defeat against Nottingham Forest is an early challenge for new manager Keith Andrews, who took over from Thomas Frank this summer[1][2]. The exact recovery timeline for Barbosa has not been publicly detailed, but the immediate treatment was effective, and he was stabilized after the incident[1][2].
[1] Nottingham Post
[2] BBC Sport
[3] The Guardian
The injury sustained by goalkeeping coach Rui Barbosa during Nottingham Forest's 2025-26 Premier League season opener against Brentford, initially caused by his celebration of Chris Wood's opening goal, resulted in six stitches. The excitement among the spectators was palpable as Forest dominated the European-leagues match, with Wood scoring the first goal and Dan Ndoye netting his debut goal.
