Liverpool stunned as Hugo Ekitiké suffers serious injury in loss to PSG
The Reds were eliminated from the Champions League after losing 2-0 at home against reigning champions PSG
Liverpool’s Champions League exit has been overshadowed by a significant injury to Hugo Ekitiké, with the French striker facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after collapsing during the defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
The atmosphere at Anfield turned sombre late in the first half of Tuesday’s 2-0 loss when the summer signing went down without any contact.
The distress was evident as the 23-year-old was carried from the pitch on a stretcher, a sight that left teammates and supporters fearing the worst. Arne Slot provided a grim assessment in his post-match briefing, admitting the situation appeared “really bad” while waiting for official scan results.
“Hugo looks really bad, but it is difficult to say how bad,” the Liverpool coach said. “Let’s see, it doesn’t look good; that is clear. I didn’t see him at half-time, and after the game he was already home. I have not spoken to him yet.”
Hugo Ekitiké expected return date
Reports from France have since suggested that Ekitiké has ruptured his Achilles tendon, an injury that typically requires a minimum of nine months for a full competitive return, meaning that he will miss out on the upcoming World Cup in North America.
“I am very sad for him, and I hope he will come back. I think it’s bad, I don’t know, I heard many things,” Ibrahima Konaté said of his France teammate on Amazon Prime.
“With the World Cup, all the things coming this summer, it’s very hard for him at this moment. I send him my prayers.”
The timing is particularly cruel for the Frenchman, who has established himself as a central figure in Slot’s tactical setup since his £69m move from Eintracht Frankfurt.
Before this setback, Ekitiké had been in fine form, contributing 17 goals across all competitions and providing a physical focal point that the Reds had missed in previous seasons.
His ability to link play and his clinical finishing in the Premier League had seen him become a firm favourite on the Kop.
Based on the nature of a ruptured Achilles, a realistic target for Ekitiké’s return to first-team training would be January 2027.
However, the path back to match fitness and regaining his explosive pace often takes additional time, meaning supporters might not see the striker back at his absolute best until the start of the 2027/28 campaign.
Any setbacks during the rehabilitation phase could further delay this timeline, making the next few months a critical period for his long-term career prospects.
