Hugo Ekitike injury update: Arne Slot 'reveals' early diagnosis as Liverpool fear striker could miss key Premier League games
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Arne Slot has indicated that Hugo Ekitike suffered a serious injury during his side’s game against Paris Saint-Germain.
The Merseysiders crashed out of the Champions League on Tuesday, losing 2-0 against PSG for the second time this season.
While the defeat would have been damaging enough, striker Ekitike was forced off the pitch on a stretcher in the 31st minute, and he was replaced by Mohamed Salah.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot confirmed that the injury appears to be serious, telling reporters: “He is not so good. We could all see it did not look good. In the second half he went home. I haven’t seen him yet.
“I had said before the game we had 88 minutes with Hugo, [Alexander Isak] and [Florian Wirtz] on the pitch. How many minutes did we have tonight?”
Ekitike is Liverpool’s top scorer in all competitions this season (17), and losing him for a prolonged period could be devastating.
How many games will Hugo Ekitike miss for Liverpool?
Now that Liverpool have exited the Champions League, the only games they have left to play are in the Premier League, with just six matchweeks remaining.
There has been speculation that Ekitike may have suffered an ankle or Achilles injury, and either would almost certainly rule him out for the rest of the season.
The most serious ankle issues could take anywhere from two to three months without surgical intervention, while recovery from an Achilles injury could last the better part of a year.
Considering the season will end on May 24, it would be miraculous if Ekitike played another game this term, and there are now serious doubts about the striker’s place in the French squad at the World Cup.
Could Liverpool miss out on Champions League football?
A place in the top five will be enough for Liverpool to qualify for the Champions League, and they are currently in fifth place with 52 points, four more than sixth-placed Chelsea.
The Reds still have to play Aston Villa, Chelsea and Manchester United, as well as rivals Everton, though their rivals also have to face each other.
Perhaps the return of Alexander Isak will mitigate the loss of Ekitike, though the race for top five is sure to go down to the wire.
Written by
Lewis Nolan