Liverpool Coach Believes Serious Injury Will Spur Player On: 'He's Not the First, Nor the Last'

French forward Ekitike ruptured his Achilles tendon against PSG on Tuesday, effectively ending his season. This injury also rules him out of the summer World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, and depending on its severity, he might even miss the start of the next campaign.

"He hasn't had surgery yet. I'm incredibly sorry that he'll miss out on some exceptional moments this summer. However, he's not the first, nor will he be the last, to experience this. I believe he'll join the list of players who've gone through this and come back even stronger," Slot stated at Friday's press conference, as reported by Sky Sports.

The absence of one of "The Reds'" top performers this season shifts the spotlight to his attacking counterpart, Isak. The Swede made his first Champions League start for Liverpool since December in the same match.

"Even the best scriptwriter couldn't have imagined this scenario. In the same game, one player returns after four months, and another gets injured for an even longer period. Many questioned why we signed two strikers, but now it looks like a shrewd move. It's great that Isak is back, but he's not yet ready for 90 minutes."

Liverpool faces their first "Merseyside derby" on Sunday at Hill Dickinson Stadium, Everton's new ground. Slot's squad is now solely battling for a Champions League spot, currently sitting fifth in the Premier League with six games remaining. This position, coupled with England's high coefficient, would secure their participation in the competition.