Worrying Update on Ekitike's Condition After Being Stretchered Off

Liverpool manager Arne Slot expressed concern over Hugo Ekitike's injury, describing it as 'really bad' after the player was taken off on a stretcher during the Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. The injury occurred just before the half-hour mark when Ekitike appeared to suffer a serious lower leg injury, clutching his right ankle area in visible pain. He was replaced by Mohamed Salah, and Slot suggested the injury was 'not good,' sparking fears of an Achilles injury. Speaking to Amazon Prime, Slot stated, 'He's not good. We could all see that it didn't look good.' The manager added that losing a player is 'something we've had many times this season,' making it 'very hard for him at this time of the season.' In his post-match press conference, Slot said, 'It looks really bad, but it is difficult for me to say how bad. Tomorrow we will investigate this further.' Ekitike has scored 19 goals for Liverpool and France this season and was likely to feature for his country at the World Cup if fit. Ibrahima Konate expressed sadness for his teammate, saying, 'I think it is bad... I send him my prayers and everything.' Despite the setback, Slot took positives from Liverpool's Champions League quarter-final exit, noting the team's improvement compared to the first leg. 'We made a lot of progression compared to last week,' he said. 'I have to give a lot of credit to the players, how hard they worked.' Liverpool's attention now turns to ensuring they qualify for next season's Champions League, with their Premier League campaign resuming on Sunday against Everton.