Liverpool’s nightmare evening against Paris Saint-Germain ended with a major injury blow for Hugo Ekitike after the forward was forced off during the Reds’ 2-0 defeat at Anfield in the Champions League.
The 23-year-old went down clutching his right ankle in visible pain and was unable to continue, eventually leaving the pitch on a stretcher. With Arne Slot’s side crashing out on the night, attention quickly shifted from the result to the severity of the damage suffered by one of Liverpool’s key attacking players.
And it is as bad as Liverpool feared. Ekitike has ruptured his right Achilles tendon, confirming the worst-case scenario after the manner of his collapse and the immediate concern inside Anfield. Slot admitted after the match that the injury “didn’t look good,” and those fears have now been realised.
Who was Liverpool’s most disappointing player against PSG on Tuesday?
We needed so much more…
FBL-EUR-C1-LIVERPOOL-PSG
Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images
Hugo Ekitike will be out for at least 9 months with Achilles rupture picked up against PSG
L’Equipe’s report states that Ekitike suffered a rupture to his right Achilles tendon during Liverpool’s defeat to PSG, with the early expectation being a lay-off of around nine months before he can resume training in the best-case scenario.
That timeline would rule the France international out for the rest of this season, the start of the next campaign and also leave him set to miss the upcoming World Cup.
Hugo Ekitike goes down injured against PSG
Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images
It is a devastating setback for the striker, whose injury came after he suddenly went to ground on his own while holding his right ankle in severe pain.
The nature of the incident had already raised fears of a serious Achilles problem, and those concerns have now been confirmed by the French outlet in what is a huge blow for both player and club.
Liverpool’s loss to PSG was disappointing, but this is arguably even worse news. He was meant to be a key player both in the run-in and next season, but it doesn’t look like we’ll seehim back on the field in 2026.
Join Our Newsletter
Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox