Hugo Ekitiké receives warm Reims ovation during recovery

Hugo Ekitiké remains closely connected to Reims, where supporters gave their former striker a warm reception despite his extended absence from football. The Liverpool forward attended Monday’s Ligue 2 fixture at the Auguste-Delaune stadium and was applauded by the home crowd before kick-off against Annecy.

Reims won the third-round match 3-1. Ekitiké helped build the atmosphere himself, using drumsticks and a drum while engaging with the supporters in the stands. His appearance offered a reminder of the bond formed during his time at the club between 2019 and 2022.

Ekitiké is still recovering from the Achilles tendon rupture he suffered in mid-April. His return is not expected before the end of 2026 at the earliest, with early 2027 also considered possible. The injury also ruled him out of France’s World Cup this summer.

The forward’s strongest Reims season came in 2021-22, when he scored 11 goals and provided five assists in 27 matches across all competitions. That campaign established him among Ligue 1’s leading young attackers at 20. A subsequent move to Paris Saint-Germain did not work out as hoped, but he revived his career at Eintracht Frankfurt before earning an €95 million transfer to Liverpool in summer 2025. He has won eight France caps.