Ekitike Ruled Out of World Cup After Serious Injury in PSG Defeat
France manager Didier Deschamps has confirmed that striker Hugo Ekitike will miss the World Cup after suffering a suspected Achilles injury during Liverpool FC’s Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.
The 23-year-old forward was taken off on a stretcher at Anfield, raising fears of a long-term absence that could also affect the start of next season.
Ekitike underwent scans on Wednesday to determine the full extent of the injury.
Deschamps confirmed the setback in a statement released by the French Football Federation.
“Hugo suffered a serious injury on Tuesday evening against PSG. The severity of his injury will unfortunately prevent him from finishing the season with Liverpool and participating in the World Cup,” he said.
“Hugo is one of the dozen young players who have made their debuts with the national team in recent months. He had perfectly integrated into the group, both on the pitch and off it. This injury is a huge blow for him, of course, but also for the France team.
“His disappointment is immense. Hugo will regain his top form, I’m convinced of it. But I wanted to express all my support to him, as well as that of the entire staff. We know he’ll be fully behind the France team, and we’re all thinking of him very strongly.”
Ekitike joined Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt last July and has impressed in his debut season, scoring 17 goals and providing six assists in all competitions.
Speaking after the defeat, Liverpool manager Arne Slot admitted the injury looked serious.
“I think we could all see that it didn’t look well and didn’t look good. Let’s wait and see what it will be. But we could all see it didn’t look good,” he said.
“In the second half, he went home so I haven’t seen him yet. Losing a game is already very hard, especially in the way we lost it, but again – as it seems to be – losing a player is something we’ve had so many times this season.
“It’s especially very hard for him because you never want to be injured, especially not at this moment of time in the season.”
Earlier this year, Ekitike became only the second player after Kenny Dalglish to score in five different competitions in his debut season for Liverpool.
He made his France debut last September and was expected to be part of Deschamps’ squad for this summer’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Liverpool have also been hit by several other injuries this season. Defender Giovanni Leoni and full-back Conor Bradley are ruled out for the rest of the campaign.
Goalkeeper Alisson Becker and midfielder Wataru Endo remain sidelined, while striker Alexander Isak has only recently returned from an ankle injury suffered in December.
