Luis Enrique explains Hugo Ekitike's PSG struggles as Liverpool star prepares to face former side

Ekitike joined PSG as a highly-rated young forward in 2022 from Reims, but struggled to get going in the French capital He managed just four goals in 33 appearances for the club and was loaned back to Reims a year after his arrival and then to Eintracht Frankfurt, eventually joining the Germans on a fixed deal. After excelling in the Bundesliga, Liverpool managed to snap him up last summer and he has enjoyed a fruitful debut campaign despite their struggles in the Premier League, scoring 17 times in 43 matches for Arne Slot's side.

The 23-year-old will return to the Parc des Princes on Wednesday when Liverpool face his old side in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final. In the build-up, PSG boss Enrique was asked about the France international's struggles under his guardianship.

"Normally, I do not talk about players who are not at PSG," he told reporters. "I remember his time here. He played very well in Germany and now, currently, at Liverpool. He is now an international player and I think he has progressed a lot. It is normal. He was very young when he was here and he has improved a lot since then. But it is not the moment to talk about Liverpool players."

The striker's path back to the top included a successful loan and permanent move to Eintracht Frankfurt before Liverpool sanctioned a massive €95 million deal last summer. Now, the player's underlying numbers suggest PSG have every right to be cautious.

While he has netted 11 times in the English top-flight, he has chipped in with three in the Champions League, including a goal against his former team Eintracht Frankfurt. The Frenchman will be hoping to have a similar haunting effect when he rocks up in his nation's capital this week.

Ekitike and Liverpool head into the match against the reigning European champions in a rough period of form. They have lost two matches in a row, having been beaten by Brighton near the end of March before returning from the international break to suffer a 4-0 humiliation against Manchester City in the FA Cup.

PSG, on the other hand, have won four games in a row heading into this game and have the added benefit of not having to play a Ligue 1 match between the two legs of the Champions League tie, having been given the weekend off by the French football authorities.