Heavy blow for Liverpool as they face the latest bad news following their exit in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals, with repercussions extending into next year.
On 15 April 2026, French media outlet RMC Sport reported that Liverpool's leading Premier League striker, Hugo Ekitike, suffered a severe injury during the second leg of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League quarterfinals and will miss the 2026 World Cup finals.
The French international forward injured his Achilles tendon in the 30th minute of last night's game, where Liverpool lost 0-2 at home to Paris Saint-Germain, resulting in a 0-4 aggregate defeat and elimination from the Champions League. He was immediately stretchered off the pitch.
Recent sources revealed that initial scans show Hugo Ekitike has a torn Achilles tendon, with damage severe enough to require a lengthy recovery estimated at 9 to 12 months.
This means Hugo Ekitike will be unavailable for Liverpool until at least January 2027 and will miss out on competing in the 2026 World Cup finals with the French national team for the first time in his career.
The 23-year-old Hugo Ekitike transferred from Eintracht Frankfurt to Liverpool last July for a total fee of £79 million. He has played 45 matches in all competitions, scoring 17 goals and providing 6 assists. He made his debut for the senior French national team last September and has since appeared in 8 matches, scoring 2 goals and assisting once.
