Hugo Ekitike will undergoing testing on the injury picked up against Paris Saint-Germain, amid fears of a ruptured Achilles that would rule him out until 2027.
Ekitike left Anfield early on Tuesday night after suffering an off-the-ball injury which left him requiring a stretcher to exit the pitch.
After the game, which saw Liverpool lose 2-0 to exit the Champions League, Arne Slot expressed doubts over whether 23-year-old would play again this season.
But the overriding fear is that Ekitike may have sustained damage that will rule him out for the rest of 2026.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, April 14, 2026: Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike lies on the floor Injured holding his ankle 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 Times‘ Paul Joyce is among those to report that the Frenchman is due for tests at the AXA Training Centre on Wednesday to determine the severity of his injury.
If Ekitike has ruptured his Achilles he would be facing a long-term recovery process which could rule him out for upwards of nine months.
This would keep him out of action until 2027 with doubts over exactly when he would be able to return – former PSG team-mate Presnel Kimpembe missed almost two years after undergoing surgery on an Achilles rupture in 2023.
While the extent of Ekitike’s injury is as yet unknown there are clearly major doubts over his short-term future at the least.
Medical Recovery: Achilles Tendon Rupture
Timeline Rehab Phase Activity Level
Weeks 0–2 Post-Op Protection: Focus on wound healing. Non-weight bearing in a splint/cast. Total Immobilisation
Weeks 3–6 Early Loading: Walking boot with wedges. Gentle isometric contractions to slow calf atrophy. Partial weight-bearing
Weeks 7–12 Tendon Strengthening: Weaning off the boot. Focus on restoring normal gait and ankle mobility. Gym-based eccentric loading
Months 4–6 Impact Loading: Introduction of ‘Alter-G’ (anti-gravity) running and double-leg jumping. Return to outdoor running
Months 7–9 Sport-Specific: Plyometric drills, high-speed sprinting, and multi-directional ‘cutting’. Non-contact team training
Months 10+ Return to Play: Full competitive clearance. Calf power must be within 90% of the uninjured side. Full Match Fitness
The Verdict: While most players can ‘run’ after 6 months, the primary medical challenge with the Achilles is the loss of propulsion. It usually takes a full 12 months for a player to trust their calf enough to engage in the explosive 1v1 duels that Ekitike relies on.
Per Get French Football News, newspaper L’Equipe have already claimed that the striker has in fact ruptured his Achilles, though this appears speculative at this stage.
In his post-match press conference on Tuesday, Slot told reporters: “I think we all saw in the clips it doesn’t look good.
“Eighty-eight minutes before tonight we could play with Florian, Alex and Hugo; we added 27, 28 to that tonight and I would be surprised if we could add a few more minutes to that this season.
“But the good thing is Alex is back.”
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Ekitike will almost certainly miss the World Cup with France, with Ibrahima Konate expresses his sadness at the situation when speaking to Prime Video.
“To be fair, I think it’s bad. I don’t know. I heard many things,” the centre-back said.
“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.
“I send him my prayers and everything.”
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