Ekitike ruptures Achilles, misses WC

Liverpool’s Hugo Ekitike will miss this summer’s World Cup after rupturing his Achilles tendon during Tuesday’s 2-0 Champions League quarter-final defeat to former club Paris Saint-Germain, sources confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old France forward was stretchered off in tears after 22 minutes at Anfield, clutching his left ankle. A source close to the player said Ekitike heard the tendon snap before collapsing. Subsequent scans on Wednesday revealed a full rupture, ruling him out for a minimum of nine months and ending both his club season and international ambitions.

France Football Federation issued a statement from national-team manager Didier Deschamps: “Unfortunately, the severity of Hugo’s injury will prevent him from finishing the season with Liverpool and taking part in the World Cup. This injury is a huge blow for him and for the French national team. I wanted to express my full support for him, as well as that of the entire coaching staff.”

Ekitike, who scored the winner in France’s 2-1 victory over Brazil last month, had become a key figure for Les Bleus since arriving at Liverpool last summer, registering 17 goals and six assists in all competitions in his debut campaign on Merseyside.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot admitted post-match “it doesn’t look good,” while defender Ibrahima Konaté added: “With the World Cup coming it is very, very hard for him and I send him my prayers.”

The club has already begun planning surgery and a rehabilitation programme, though Liverpool have yet to issue an official medical bulletin. The loss of Ekitike deals a significant setback to the Reds’ push for a Premier League top-five finish and deprives France of a dynamic attacking option ahead of the global tournament.