Liverpool's attacking prospect Hugo Ekitike and defender Ibrahima Konate have come under significant fire from the French press following their performances for the national team, despite Les Bleus securing a 3-1 victory against Azerbaijan in a World Cup qualifier.
Mixed Night for Liverpool Duo on International Duty
The match, played on Sunday night in Baku, was France's final qualifier for next summer's tournament. Having already secured their World Cup place with a commanding 4-0 win over Ukraine just days earlier, manager Didier Deschamps used the opportunity to experiment with his lineup. Both Ekitike and Konate were handed starts and played the full 90 minutes, with Konate notably wearing the captain's armband in the absence of Kylian Mbappe.
What was anticipated to be a straightforward fixture took a surprising turn when Azerbaijan scored early, capitalising on defensive uncertainty within the French team. France eventually steadied themselves, equalising through a header from Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta before Maghnes Akliouche scored on his international debut to put them ahead. A second-half own goal sealed the 3-1 win, confirming France's position at the top of their qualifying group.
French Media Deliver Brutal Player Ratings
The post-match analysis in France was particularly unforgiving towards the two Liverpool players. Hugo Ekitike, who had scored a spectacular solo goal against Ukraine, received some of the lowest ratings of the night.
Le Parisien awarded him a brutal 4/10, criticising his inability to find shooting positions and his poor connection with strike partner Mateta, though they noted his "tireless work rate". Eurosport France also gave him a 4/10, stating he "lacked precision and sometimes quickness" and botched a clear opportunity in the 64th minute. Le Figaro branded his display an "off night," while Le Monde suggested the attacking partnership was dysfunctional. Ekitike's evening was further marred as he was responsible for a Khephren Thuram goal being disallowed by VAR for a handball in the build-up.
Ibrahima Konate, serving as captain, fared only slightly better in the eyes of the critics. Le Parisien handed him a 5/10, noting he had a "difficult start to the match" but regained control after France's equaliser. Eurosport France similarly gave him a 5/10, highlighting his "very nervous" opening fifteen minutes featuring misplaced passes before he became "impenetrable". A slightly more generous assessment came from Yahoo Sport, which rated his performance a 7/10, praising him for looking "calm and assured at the back" despite his patchy form for Liverpool this season.
What This Means for the Liverpool Pair
The criticism presents a reality check for Hugo Ekitike, especially following his euphoric debut goal. The analysis consistently pointed to his ineffectiveness when playing on the left wing, suggesting he is far more potent as a central striker. For Ibrahima Konate, the reviews were mixed, acknowledging a rocky start but also his ability to recover and impose his physicality as the match progressed.
Both players will now return to Merseyside, with the international break concluded. The scrutiny from the French media underscores the intense pressure that comes with representing a footballing superpower like France, even in a match with relatively low stakes. The challenge for the Liverpool duo will be to use this experience as motivation to cement their places both for club and country.
