'Liverpool's New Star Speaks Out for the First Time After a Foolish Red Card

Hugo Ekitike has officially spoken for the first time since receiving the controversial red card in Liverpool's Carabao Cup match against Southampton last week.

In the match against Southampton last week, Ekitike came off the bench and scored the decisive goal to secure victory for Liverpool. However, he was immediately shown a second yellow card and sent off for removing his shirt in celebration. This impulsive act caused the French striker to be suspended for the loss to Crystal Palace last weekend, a result that brought heavy criticism on the "Reds."

Many experts and former players believe Ekitike should have exercised more self-control, as the needless red card prevented him from playing in the Premier League and indirectly affected the team's overall results.

At the press conference before the match against Galatasaray, Ekitike did not avoid the issue and openly admitted his mistake:

“That was not a smart move. I felt disappointed having to watch my teammates play from home on Saturday. I apologized to the entire team and coaching staff. It will never happen again. Now I just want to focus on playing.”Ekitike shared this on Liverpool Echo.

The willingness to face up and publicly admit fault is seen as a positive sign from the French newcomer, showing he wants to quickly restore his image with the fans and regain trust from coach Arne Slot.

Liverpool will visit Galatasaray at RAMS Park in the second round of the Champions League group stage. This is considered the perfect chance for Ekitike to make amends. The 23-year-old striker has scored 5 goals in 8 matches since joining the club and is likely to get playing time, especially with Federico Chiesa absent due to registration issues.

The British media believe Ekitike can follow Darwin Nunez’s example, who faced harsh criticism after a red card in his early Liverpool games in 2022 but later won over fans with effort and crucial goals.

With his impressive form early in the season, Ekitike has every opportunity to continue shining on the continental stage. Surely, if he scores against Galatasaray, what all Liverpool fans hope for is simply that he… keeps his shirt on during the celebration.