Liverpool rocked as Hugo Ekitike faces season-ending scare after PSG loss
Well, that was a gut punch at Anfield. Liverpool not only limped out of the Champions League, beaten 2-0 by Paris Saint-Germain on the night and 4-0 on aggregate, but saw Hugo Ekitike stretchered off with what looked, even in real time, like a nasty lower-leg problem. The France international clutched his ankle, received lengthy treatment amid anxious team-mates, and made way for Mohamed Salah far earlier than anyone wanted.
Confusion over the diagnosis
Here’s where it gets messy. Journalist Lassana Camara relayed word from Ekitike’s family on X, claiming the forward is out for the rest of the season and the World Cup, but crucially that there’s no Achilles rupture. On the flip side, L’Equipe report a right Achilles tendon tear and a nine-month lay-off. Two very different pictures, one anxious fanbase. Until the medicals are signed off, we’re stuck in limbo—but either way, it’s a hammer blow for Liverpool.
What Liverpool stand to lose
Ekitike has been Liverpool’s sharpest spear this season: 17 goals and six assists in 45 outings, the highest total of goal contributions in the squad. He stretches defences, links tidily, and has been the one to sort out tight games. If he’s sidelined for the run-in—and perhaps beyond—Arne Slot must rewrite his script up top and do it quickly.
Isak eased back, Gakpo thrown in
Alexander Isak’s first start since December was always going to be managed; he barely had a sniff, just five touches in the opening half before Cody Gakpo was summoned at the break. Slot had flagged pre-match that the Swede was only good for 45, and so it proved.
Inside the camp
Slot didn’t dress it up afterwards: he suggested it looked bad but stressed the full extent wasn’t yet clear. Ibrahima Konaté, visibly shaken by events, spoke of how cruel the timing is with a World Cup looming and offered his support to his compatriot. You could feel the mood flatten around Anfield.
Where Liverpool go from here
Europe’s gone and the margin for error at home just shrank. Expect Salah and Gakpo to shoulder the load, with Isak drip-fed minutes as fitness returns. But if Ekitike is out for months rather than weeks, Liverpool’s attacking chemistry needs a rapid reboot—and the fanbase will want clarity fast after those conflicting reports.
For those tracking how injuries sway the markets, our guide to the best betting sites is a handy starting point as prices react to Liverpool’s changing forward line.
The verdict
Conflicting bulletins are the last thing anyone needs, but the pictures at Anfield told their own grim tale. Whether it’s weeks or nine months, it’s a significant setback for the player and the club. Liverpool must regroup, sharpen up, and find goals from the rest of the cast—because the season won’t wait for a diagnosis.
