Liverpool Striker Hugo Ekitike Suffers Serious Achilles Injury in Champions League Tie

Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike was stretchered off the pitch in tears in the 30th minute of Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield, with a suspected serious Achilles tendon injury to his right foot that raises severe doubts about his participation in the 2026 World Cup. The 23-year-old Frenchman went down unchallenged while attempting to reach a ball played forward by Dominik Szoboszlai, collapsing as if struck by sudden pain and immediately clutching his heel. Liverpool's medical staff quickly signaled to the bench that Ekitike could not continue, and he was carried off on a stretcher, visibly overcome with emotion. He was replaced by Mohamed Salah, who had started the match on the bench under Liverpool manager Arne Slot. The injury compounds Liverpool's difficulties in the tie, with Slot's side already facing a 2-0 deficit from the first leg and needing a significant comeback to reach the semi-finals.

Shearer's pitch-side words capture the moment's gravity Alan Shearer, commentating for Amazon Prime, described the incident as it unfolded. „Ekitike went to control the ball and he sort of slipped over. He looks to be in pain... It doesn't look good at all.” — Alan Shearer via The Independent Shearer also noted that Salah, brought on as Ekitike's replacement, would have been frustrated not to have started. „Salah will have been devastated that he didn't start, but you always get a chance - and his is about to come.” — Alan Shearer via The Independent The scenes at Anfield drew a tribute from the stands as Ekitike was carried off, with supporters recognizing the apparent severity of the moment. The injury occurred without any contact from an opposing player, consistent with the mechanism typically associated with Achilles tendon ruptures, though no official medical confirmation had been issued at the time of the incident.

PSG also lose Nuno Mendes to a thigh problem Paris Saint-Germain were dealt their own injury setback just eight minutes after Ekitike's departure, when left-back Nuno Mendes limped off in the 38th minute with a muscular complaint in his right thigh and was replaced by Lucas Hernandez. The Portuguese international had already shown signs of discomfort during the first leg of the quarter-final, though PSG manager Luis Enrique had kept him on the pitch at that stage. Mendes's withdrawal adds to the injury concerns surrounding the Portuguese national team ahead of the World Cup, with Portugal coach Roberto Martínez expected to monitor the situation closely. The two injuries meant that both sides lost a key player in the opening 40 minutes of a match that was already high-stakes for Liverpool, who needed to overturn a two-goal deficit. The first half at Anfield thus became defined as much by the treatment rooms as by the action on the pitch.

World Cup clock ticking with 58 days to go The timing of Ekitike's injury carries consequences that extend well beyond the Champions League, with the 2026 World Cup set to begin on June 11 — just 58 days from the date of the match. Ekitike had established himself as a key figure in Didier Deschamps' France squad, scoring twice in his first eight international appearances. France coach Deschamps is scheduled to announce his World Cup squad on May 14, 2026, leaving exactly one month from the date of the injury for medical assessments to determine whether Ekitike can recover in time. A serious Achilles tendon injury typically requires months of rehabilitation, making his inclusion in the squad highly uncertain. 8 (caps) — Ekitike's international appearances for France before the injury The injury also carries personal significance for Ekitike in the context of Tuesday's match: the forward spent two years at PSG before joining Liverpool, and had been motivated to prove himself against Luis Enrique, the PSG manager who had left him out of the club's Champions League squad during the 2023-24 season.

Hugo Ekitike began his professional career at Reims before joining PSG, where he spent two years. He subsequently moved to Liverpool, establishing himself as a regular starter and earning recognition with the France national team. The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will be the first edition of the tournament to feature 48 national teams. Nuno Mendes, born June 19, 2002, plays as a left-back for PSG and Portugal and is considered one of the leading players in his position in world football.

Key events — Liverpool vs PSG, April 14, 2026: — ; — ; — ; —

Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain