Liverpool manager Arne Slot offered a grim prognosis for striker Hugo Ekitike following the Champions League exit against Paris St-Germain. Ekitike was stretchered off 30 minutes into the second leg, which Liverpool ultimately lost 2-0, sealing a 4-0 aggregate defeat. Slot confessed immediately after the match that the injury "looks really bad," though medical confirmation is pending.

Ekitike, who arrived last summer from Eintracht Frankfurt, has managed 17 goals across 45 appearances in his debut season. A serious long-term layoff would severely damage his prospects for selection in France’s upcoming World Cup squad. Teammate Ibrahima Konate acknowledged the potential devastation, calling the situation "very, very hard" for the forward given the tournament timing.

Slot expressed frustration that his major summer signings—Ekitike, Alexander Isak, and Florian Wirtz—have played so few minutes together. He suggested the trio might accumulate barely any more combined time on pitch this season, tempering the positive return of Isak from a broken leg. The focus now shifts entirely to the severity of Ekitike's ankle issue and the implications for the remainder of the term.

Alexander Isak returned to the starting lineup alongside Ekitike, marking his first start since early December following a broken leg layoff. Slot confirmed Isak's fitness, but the overall attacking cohesion remains a major concern for the club after this European exit. Liverpool faces a challenging few weeks assessing the full impact of this double blow.