Hugo Ekitiké has opened up on the invaluable lessons learned from former Paris Saint-Germain teammates Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, as the Liverpool striker prepares to face Manchester City on Sunday. The 23-year-old Frenchman, who played alongside the trio at PSG, says he absorbed key attributes from each to develop his game. “From Messi, maybe his vision. Sometimes I try to see things earlier, before I receive the ball. From Neymar I took some tricks and skills, ball control. I took the runs of Kylian – he could do great runs without the ball,” Ekitiké explained.
Ekitiké, who joined Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt, has scored six times in 15 appearances this season. He recently reunited with Mbappé after Liverpool defeated Real Madrid, and the pair shared a 20-minute conversation. “He saw me in a bad position at PSG so he is happy for me that now things are working out,” Ekitiké said. “He has been like a big brother to me. I was just not playing – it was difficult at the end. He was always good to me, always gave me advice.”
The striker also reflected on his bold loan move to Danish side Vejle early in his career, which he credits for his development. “It was not a weird move but not what you expect from a young player. Most thought I would go to the second division in France but I made the choice to go to Denmark. Obviously it was difficult but really good. I got consistent minutes, I learned a lot from this league, the opponents were really strong, I got confidence for when I returned to France.”
Ekitiké has also been working on his off-the-ball movement under manager Arne Slot, who has been demanding but supportive. “He’s on my back, but not for a bad thing. He just wants to help me, so I don’t take that badly. He wants me to give more and more. Maybe sometimes you feel like it’s a little bit too much and you want to complain. It’s a good thing because I think if a coach doesn’t like you, he will not speak to you or not try to get the best of you,” Ekitiké said.
With Alexander Isak not fit to start, Ekitiké is expected to lead the line against City. He acknowledged the internal competition with Isak but insisted they can play together. “I think I’m able to play with any players and we can definitely play together,” he said. Ekitiké also praised Erling Haaland, calling him “one of the best strikers in the world” and someone he looks up to.
