Ekitike took a 9-month break.

Hugo Ekipike will no longer have a chance to participate in the 2026 World Cup due to a fairly serious injury sustained in Liverpool's 0-2 defeat to PSG in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals on the morning of April 15th.

Ekitike (in the red shirt) suffered a fairly serious injury, effectively ending his World Cup dream.

According to L'Equipe , the French striker suffered a torn Achilles tendon, one of the most serious injuries in modern football. He is expected to be out for nine months. The incident occurred in the first half when Ekitike collapsed on the pitch without any contact.

Immediately after the match, the atmosphere at Anfield became tense. Manager Arne Slot admitted he was worried from the moment he saw his player lying on the ground: "Everyone could see that wasn't right. We have to wait for the final conclusion, but the initial signs were very bad."

The injury meant Ekitike's season was over. He also missed the opportunity to participate in his first World Cup with the French national team. This was a major blow to Liverpool, whose attack was already lacking sharpness.

Before his injury, Ekitike had an impressive debut season with 17 goals and 6 assists in 45 appearances across all competitions. His absence highlighted Liverpool's problems, as they unleashed 21 shots against PSG but failed to score a single goal.

Liverpool must quickly bounce back with the Merseyside derby against Everton ahead. Arne Slot's side currently sit fifth in the Premier League with 52 points and still have a tough fight to secure a place in next season's Champions League.

With the season potentially ending without any trophies and the attacking line severely depleted, the pressure now rests entirely on Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah during this crucial period.

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/ekitike-nghi-9-thang-post1643862.html