Hugo Ekitike enjoyed his return to Eintracht Frankfurt last night, scoring the first of Liverpool’s five goals in an emphatic victory at Deutsche Bank Park.
The Frenchman restored parity in the 35th minute after the Reds fought back from Rasmus Kristensen’s opener, with the striker latching onto a fantastic long-range pass by Andy Robertson and keeping his composure to slot the ball past goalkeeper Michael Zetterer.
The 23-year-old sportingly declined to celebrate netting against his former club and was applauded off by most of the home fans when he was substituted with just over 15 minutes remaining.
What was Ekitike spotted doing after full-time in Frankfurt?
Ekitike was a former teammate of most of the Eintracht players who featured on Wednesday night, and what he did after the match illustrated the ties he continues to hold with the German club.
Journalist Lewis Steele uploaded a video to X which shows the Liverpool striker briefly joining players from the home side as they proceeded on a subdued lap of the pitch to show gratitude to the fans who were still inside the stadium after full-time.
Ekitike showed Eintracht what they’ve been missing
Eintracht haven’t exactly been starved of goals this season – Kristensen’s strike last night was their 31st in 11 games – but they’d certainly have been wishing that Ekitike was still with them, considering the performance that he put on at his former stomping ground.
The Frenchman more than justified his recall to the starting line-up by Arne Slot, not just for his goal but an overall terrific display at Deutsche Bank Park.
As per Sofascore, he misplaced only two passes all night, won five of his seven duels, completed two out of three dribbles and landed two shots on target as the home side struggled to cope with the threat he provided.
Even if the groin problem which saw Alexander Isak substituted at half-time isn’t a serious one, it seems almost certain that Ekitike will start against Brentford on Saturday after excelling in Frankfurt last night.
He served his former club a timely reminder of what they’ve been missing since he left for Anfield in July, and he’s proving to be an instant hit at Liverpool among fans, pundits and journalists alike.
You can view the image of Ekitike with the Eintracht players below, via @LewisSteele_ on X:
Hugo Ekitike joins Frankfurt on a lap of honour (let’s just call it a lap) at his former club. Brilliant goal tonight, 100% MUST start on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/ILfSgSUwTL
— Lewis Steele (@LewisSteele_) October 22, 2025