An update has been issued on the likely severity of Hugo Ekitike’s injury, which he sustained during Liverpool’s Champions League quarter-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain.
On Tuesday (April 14), Arne Slot’s Liverpool side could not overcome a two-goal deficit from the first leg, as Ousmane Dembele’s brace ensured PSG’s progression to the final four.
Summer signings Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Ekitike started together for just the third time since arriving at the club, but the France international lasted around 30 minutes before he fell to the ground clutching his Achilles, despite no one being around him.
Club medical staff rushed to his aid before he was stretchered off and replaced by Mohamed Salah.
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Speaking after his side’s 2-0 defeat (4-0 on aggregate), head coach Slot admitted that Ekitike’s injury “didn’t look good”.
He told Amazon Prime Video: “Not too good. I think we could all see that it didn’t look well and didn’t look good. Let’s wait and see what it will be. But we could all see it didn’t look good.
“In the second half, he went home, so I haven’t seen him yet. Losing a game is already very hard, especially in the way we lost it, but again – as it seems to be – losing a player is something we’ve had so many times this season.
“It’s especially very hard for him because you never want to be injured, especially not at this moment in the season.”
Ekitike has impressed since arriving from Eintracht Frankfurt, having registered 17 goals and six assists in 45 appearances for the Reds, which many would suggest all but guarantees him a spot in Didier Deschamps’ France squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
But could last night’s injury prevent him from appearing at the tournament?
Speaking on Canal+ after the evening’s action, Hervé Mathoux explained: “Perhaps the Achilles tendon isn’t ruptured, news from his family, but the season is over for the Frenchman regardless.”
Canal+ then posted a separate statement to its social media account, which read: “Hugo Ekitiké’s Achilles tendon is indeed injured. Contrary to reports circulating, we don’t yet have information on the severity of his injury. The French national team player still needs to undergo tests to determine the length of his absence.”
Meanwhile, French newspaper L’Equipe suggested that Ekitike’s appearance at the World Cup would be a miracle.
The outlet wrote: “Having injured his Achilles tendon, the Liverpool striker can rule himself out of the World Cup. The way he collapsed, alone while regaining his footing, unable to get up despite two unsuccessful attempts, was not a good sign: whether partial or total, the rupture of his Achilles tendon was confirmed to us after the match. For the French team, the striker’s withdrawal from the World Cup is a major blow.”
Liverpool return to action away against Merseyside rivals Everton on April 19.
Topics: Hugo Ekitike, Liverpool, PSG, Champions League, Premier League
Luke Davies