Liverpool star set to miss World Cup after nasty injury in PSG clash

Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike is facing a horrific nine to 12 months on the sidelines following a suspected torn Achilles tendon sustained during the Champions League quarter-final second-leg clash against Paris Saint-Germain.

The devastating incident occurred in the 28th minute at Anfield; while attempting to latch onto a pass from Dominik Szoboszlai, the 23-year-old caught his studs in the turf, slipped, and collapsed entirely off the ball. 

Visibly in immense agony and clutching his right heel, Ekitike was left in tears and required a stretcher to leave the pitch, consoled by teammates and opposing players before being replaced by Mohamed Salah. 

The severe injury heavily compounded a miserable night for Arne Slot's side, who suffered a 2-0 defeat on the night to exit the tournament with a 4-0 aggregate loss to Ekitike's former club.

The early medical diagnosis indicates a complete rupture of the Achilles tendon—a severe lower-leg injury that necessitates complex surgical repair to reattach the torn tendon fibres, followed by months of total immobilisation in a walking boot and rigorous, heavily phased physical therapy, hence the nine- to 12-month time frame.

Consequently, the recovery timeline definitively rules Ekitike out of participating for the France national team at the upcoming World Cup in North America. 

The timing is particularly cruel for the forward, who had been enjoying an impressive campaign, registering 11 goals and five assists in 28 Premier League appearances, alongside an additional three goals in the Champions League.