Hugo Ekitike is working towards a return to full training in November, according to reports in France. The Liverpool striker ruptured his Achilles tendon in April during Liverpool’s Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain, a brutal blow that ended his season in an instant. His rehabilitation has continued through the summer, and his personal medical team has stayed in close contact with Liverpool’s own staff as the club plans a careful path back into Andoni Iraola’s squad.
California rehabilitation and AXA Medical Coordination
In June, Ekitike travelled to California to continue his recovery under the guidance of Berengar Buschmann, his personal physiotherapist. The pair have a long-standing relationship. Buschmann worked with Ekitike previously at Eintracht Frankfurt and has remained closely involved with his rehabilitation since the injury.
Buschmann also met Liverpool’s medical staff at the AXA Training Centre, where the two parties agreed a long-term recovery plan for the striker.
“In the best-case scenario for a professional player, surgery means nine months until he (Ekitike) can return to the field.”
That timeframe has shaped expectations around his recovery, even though Liverpool have not confirmed a fixed date for his first-team return. Ekitike posted a message to supporters on social media shortly after the injury.
“It’s hard, maybe even unfair…but I am grateful this is happening to me here among you.”
“I’m not alone. Your strength and your love will be my driving force. See you again soon, Anfield.”
Squad Impact and Iraola’s Tactical Context
Liverpool’s 25-man Champions League squad for this campaign, a sign of how central he remains to Andoni Iraola’s attacking plans. Wataru Endo and Federico Chiesa missed out. Their omission points to strong competition for places further forward.
The timing of the Hugo Ekitike injury return matters for Iraola’s tactical setup, given how little the manager has seen of his senior attackers together. Before the injury, Ekitike and Alexander Isak started together just three times last season, leaving Iraola little chance to build a settled front line around the two strikers.
The picture gets tighter still once Florian Wirtz is added into the mix. Ekitike, Isak and Wirtz have shared the pitch together for only 115 minutes all season, showing how little time Iraola has had to work the trio into one settled unit.
Our piece on Andoni Iraola’s squad restructuring looks at how selection has changed since the summer. Isak has carried much of the scoring load in Ekitike’s absence, including Isak’s match-winning strike against Bournemouth.
Upcoming Timeline and Champions League Status
Liverpool have not set a fixed date for Ekitike’s first-team return, and nothing beyond a training target has been confirmed by the club. French outlets still report that November is the aim for him to rejoin full training. That would still fall well short of first-team action.
Supporters can follow recent Liverpool team news for day-to-day updates as the November target gets closer. Liverpool’s coaching staff will monitor his progress carefully through the autumn before making any decision on first-team involvement.
