Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike injured and taken off on a stretcher against PSG

LIVERPOOL, England — Liverpool’s Champions League quarterfinal hopes suffered an early setback Tuesday when forward Hugo Ekitike was stretchered off with a first-half injury during the first-leg clash against Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield.

The 21-year-old, on loan from the French champions, pulled up abruptly midway through the opening period and immediately signaled to the bench. Medical staff rushed on, administered treatment for several minutes, and opted to remove him on a stretcher as a precaution. Ekitike was greeted by sympathetic applause from all corners of the ground as he disappeared down the tunnel.

The extent of the injury has not yet been disclosed, but his departure forced an early reshuffle for the Reds in a tie already dripping with tension.