A nightmare has befallen the French national team star.

Striker Hugo Ekitz faced the risk of rupturing his Achilles tendon after being stretchered off the pitch during Liverpool's defeat to PSG in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals on the morning of April 15th.

Ekitike was in pain on the court.

Ekitike suffered an injury in the first half of the second leg of the quarter-final at Anfield, where Liverpool lost 0-2 and were eliminated with an aggregate score of 0-4 over two legs.

Remarkably, the French striker fell without any apparent collision, making the situation particularly serious. He immediately clutched his heel and received medical attention before being stretchered off the pitch.

Coach Arne Slot did not give a specific diagnosis after the match. However, he acknowledged that the situation was not positive and stated that Ekitike had left the field early, making it impossible to fully assess the extent of the injury.

According to an analysis by injury specialist FPL Physio, initial signs suggest Ekitike may have ruptured his Achilles tendon. This occurred when the player exerted force on his right leg to accelerate, a typical injury mechanism for this type of injury.

His immediate reaction of clutching his heel, coupled with the medical team's focus on his lower leg, further reinforced this assessment.

Less serious scenarios might involve a partial tear of the Achilles tendon or injury to the ankle or lower leg. However, if it's a complete rupture, recovery time typically takes 9 to 12 months, or even longer.

The injury came at a critical time, with the 2026 World Cup less than two months away. This made Ekitike's chances of playing for the French national team very slim.

This is the second consecutive time Liverpool have been eliminated from the Champions League by PSG. Manager Arne Slot's team now has only one remaining objective: to secure a top-five finish in the Premier League to qualify for Europe's most prestigious competition next season.

PSG's convincing victory: Their 2-0 win against Liverpool this morning in the Champions League quarter-finals is a clear statement to anyone who dares to challenge PSG in the title race.

Source: https://znews.vn/con-ac-mong-ap-den-with-sao-tuyen-phap-post1643727.html