Bad news for Arne Slot: ‘Hugo Ekitike out for at least nine months’
Bad news for Liverpool, manager Arne Slot, and Hugo Ekitike. The French forward is expected to be sidelined for at least nine months due to a serious injury. The news was reported today by L’Equipe.
He took a nasty fall on Tuesday night during the Champions League quarterfinal against Paris Saint-Germain. The Liverpool player wasn’t involved in a tackle at the time, so it remained unclear exactly what had happened. Ekitike was carried off the field on a stretcher.
“Achilles tendon injury”
On Wednesday morning, it becomes clear that he has suffered an Achilles tendon injury. This means he will miss the World Cup. Ekitike will be sidelined for nine months “at best,” which poses a major problem for both France and Liverpool.
“In his fourteen years at the helm of the French national team, Didier Deschamps has learned to dread these moments,” writes L’Équipe, expressing concerns about the French squad. PSG’s Desire Doue was also injured, but the 20-year-old playmaker does not appear to be in danger of missing the final tournament.
“That doesn’t look good”
“It doesn’t look good for Hugo,” coach Slot said of the striker. “Judging by the footage, it can’t be much else.” Ekitike had already been sidelined earlier this season. In mid-March, he suffered from severe hip pain for weeks following a collision with James Milner of Brighton & Hove Albion.
