Arne Slot has provided an update on Hugo Ekitike‘s injury, saying “it didn’t look good” and that the player “went home” in the second half.
In the driving rain at Anfield, Ekitike started on the right wing against Paris Saint-Germain, but his night ended early as he suffered an apparent Achilles injury after half an hour.
Following the game, Slot told Prime Video that Ekitike is “not too good” and he “didn’t look well and didn’t look good.”
The head coach was asked if his injury was indeed an Achilles problem, to which he responded: “Let’s wait and see what will [happen], but we could all see it didn’t look good and in the second half he went home so I haven’t seen him yet.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, April 14, 2026: Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike is check up on by team-mates Milos Kerkez and captain Virgil van Dijk (R) as he stretchered off with a suspected Achilles injury during the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final 2nd Leg match between Liverpool FC and Paris Saint-Germain FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
“Losing a game is already very hard, especially in the way we lost it, but then again as it seems to be losing a player is something we’ve had so many times this season.
“But it’s especially very hard for him because you never want to be injured especially at this time in the season.”
Ibrahima Konate thinks Hugo Ekitike injury “is bad”
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, April 14, 2026: Liverpool's Ibrahima Konaté reacts to conceding the second goal during the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final 2nd Leg match between Liverpool FC and Paris Saint-Germain FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Ekitike’s teammate for both France and Liverpool, Ibrahima Konate, wasn’t optimistic about the youngster’s injury.
“I am very sad for him and I hope he will come back. To be fair, I think it’s bad,” Konate told Prime Video.
“I don’t know. I heard many things, but I don’t want to talk about that because with the World Cup, all of the things coming this summer, it’s very, very hard for him at this moment and I send him my prayers and everything.”
Wednesday night was just Ekitike’s third time starting alongside fellow striker Alexander Isak, and the partnership looks like it will have to wait until next season to flourish.
Ekitike’s injury immediately left even the opposition players concerned, as PSG captain Marquinhos helped keep his leg comfortable while waiting for the club doctors to arrive on the pitch.
With the 23-year-old departing on a stretcher, one of his relations was seen in tears as they headed down into the Main Stand.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, April 14, 2026: Paris Saint-Germain's João Neves during the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final 2nd Leg match between Liverpool FC and Paris Saint-Germain FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
The severity of his injury is still not known exactly. Worryingly, some Achilles injuries have a return-to-play timeframe of seven to nine months, so Ekitike’s place at this summer’s World Cup could now be in doubt, with France’s first match against Senegal just two months away.
The attacker was on course to play more minutes than in any other campaign of his young career; since signing for Liverpool he has played 2,870 minutes.
Last season, he racked up 3,644 minutes for Eintracht Frankfurt, but before that, the most he had ever played was 1,463.
With Ekitike absent, Isak will likely start against Everton at the weekend but, like against PSG, won’t be able to play much more than a half.
Cody Gakpo could also be an option, having been Isak’s replacement through the middle at Anfield.