Liverpool are likely to be without the service of Hugo Ekitike for the rest of the season after he was stretched off the pitch during the Reds 2-0 home loss to PSG.
Ekitike went down off the ball in the first-half, slipping as he pushed off his right foot to sprint. He immediately clutched at the back of his right ankle, prompting concern of an Achilles tendon injury, and left the pitch on a stretcher as concerned team-mates watched on.
Though Arne Slot refused to confirm whether he suffered an Achilles injury, Ibrahima Konate declared that ‘I think it’s bad’.
Speaking at full-time, Slot confirmed Ekitike had suffered a serious injury but away no specifics.
Hugo Ekitike receiving medical treatment after picking up the injury (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Asked for an update on the player’s condition, he said: “Not so good. I think we could all see it 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, losing a player is something we’ve had so many times this season.
“It is especially hard for [Ekitike]. You never want to be injured, especially not at this moment of the season.”
Hugo Ekitike holds his ankle as he appears to be injured during the Champions League 2025/26 Quarter-Final Second Leg match between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
The injury comes at a terrible time for Ekitike. Should his worst fears of an Achilles injury be confirmed, he would stand to miss this summer’s World Cup and, potentially, the start of next season.
Konate, Ekitike’s team-mate for both club and country, added that the injury appeared serious: “Ekitike, I am very sad for him. I hope he will come back. To be fair, I think it’s bad. I heard many things, but I don’t want to talk about it.
“With the World Cup coming this summer, I think it is very hard for him in this moment. I send him my prayers.”
Slot should offer a further update as he previews next weekend’s Merseyside derby, though the Club may issue an update sooner.
