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Liverpool confirm Ekitike out for season, will miss World Cup / Photo: © AFP
Liverpool confirm Ekitike out for season, will miss World Cup
Liverpool followed France in confirming Thursday that forward Hugo Ekitike will miss the remainder of the Premier League season and the 2026 World Cup after suffering a serious injury in a Champions League loss to Paris Saint-Germain.
The 23-year-old crumpled in a heap holding his lower right leg during the first half of Liverpool's 2-0 quarter-final second-leg defeat by European champions PSG at Anfield on Tuesday and had to be substituted.
A brief statement issued by Premier League champions Liverpool on Thursday said scans had subsequently confirmed a "rupture of the Achilles tendon".
The statement added: "Ekitike will therefore be sidelined for the remaining weeks of the club season and unable to participate at this summer's World Cup with France."
Liverpool gave no timescale for Ekitike's recovery, saying only "further updates will be provided at the appropriate time, with Hugo receiving the full support of everyone at LFC".
Liverpool's statement followed Wednesday's announcement by France coach Didier Deschamps that Ekitike was out of the World Cup.
"Unfortunately, the severity of (Ekitike's) injury will prevent him from finishing the season with Liverpool and taking part in the World Cup," Deschamps said in a statement released by the French football federation.
"This injury is a huge blow for him, of course, but also for the French national team.
"I wanted to express my full support for him, as well as that of the entire coaching staff."
Ekitike has scored 17 goals in 45 matches in all competitions for Liverpool since arriving at Anfield for a fee of £79 million ($105.5 million) last summer from German side Eintracht Frankfurt.
Since winning his first France cap in a World Cup qualifier in September last year, Ekitike has been a regular, scoring two goals and providing one assist in his eight caps.
"It looks really bad, but difficult for me to say how bad," Liverpool manager Arne Slot said after Tuesday's match.
Injuries have been a major factor in a disastrous season for Liverpool as they sit fifth in the Premier League and will end the campaign without silverware.
"Losing a player is something we have had many times this season, but it is especially hard for him because you never want to be injured, especially at this time of the season," added Slot.
P. O'Kelly--BTZ
