It was a match that many Liverpool fans had been waiting for. For weeks, they had followed the rumours. For days, they had watched the training clips. And now, finally, the moment had come. Hugo Ekitike was making his Liverpool debut. The young French striker, who had just joined the club from Eintracht Frankfurt for a reported £79 million, was ready to wear the famous red shirt for the first time.
He wasn’t just another signing. He was Liverpool’s new number nine. A symbol of a new era under Arne Slot. A forward with style, strength, and a calm touch. A player who was supposed to be the next big thing. But when Ekitike stepped onto the pitch for the first time in Japan against Yokohama F. Marinos, the excitement quickly turned to frustration. Not because of the player. Not because of the tactics. But because of something no one expected — the pitch.
The moment he came out of the tunnel, fans all over the world tuned in. Social media exploded with praise, expectations, and wild predictions. Many had already watched clips of him training with Mo Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai. He looked fast. He looked sharp. He looked like a Liverpool striker. So when the match kicked off, all eyes were on him. But as the first half went on, things didn’t feel right. The movement wasn’t smooth. The passing was sloppy. The whole team looked uncomfortable. And slowly, fans began to notice what was really wrong.
It wasn’t the players. It wasn’t the formation. It wasn’t even nerves. It was the pitch. The grass at the Nissan Stadium in Japan was not good enough. It looked patchy, dry, and full of bumps. And for a team like Liverpool — known for fast passing and sharp movement — it was a nightmare.
Ekitike tried. He really did. He made runs. He dropped deep. He linked up well with Harvey Elliott and showed moments of quality. But every touch, every pass, every sprint was affected by the poor surface. Balls bounced awkwardly. Players slipped. The tempo was off. The game looked more like a training session on a school field than a professional match.
By halftime, the score was still 0-0. Ekitike didn’t get much service. He didn’t score. And when the second half started, he had been taken off. Darwin Nunez replaced him. Just like that, Ekitike’s Liverpool debut was over after only 45 minutes. And the fans? They had seen enough to speak their minds. On social media, Liverpool supporters all seemed to agree on one thing — the pitch ruined the game. “I won’t get onto Ekitike because of the pitch,” another fan added, clearly disappointed but still supporting the young striker.
There were fans who were still impressed by what little they saw. “Ekitike is perfect for Liverpool; baller. The pitch is absolutely awful so playing fluid football is quite difficult. It’s not fair to criticise the lads’ performance.”
That was the mood. It wasn’t anger at the player. It wasn’t disappointment with Arne Slot’s tactics. It was pure frustration with the conditions. Fans had waited so long for this debut, only for the game to be played on a pitch that didn’t meet even the most basic standards of a top-level pre-season match.
And while many fans defended Ekitike, others looked elsewhere. Some were quick to bring up another name — Alexander Isak. The Swedish striker from Newcastle United has been heavily linked with a move to Liverpool. And while Newcastle insists he’s not for sale, reports claim that Liverpool are ready to make a world-record offer to get him. “They’re blaming the pitch for Ekitike not being able to score lol,” one fan wrote. “Please bring me Isak. Thank you.”
It was a reaction that shows how demanding Liverpool fans can be. One match, one half, and already the comparisons begin. But to be fair, this wasn’t a proper chance to judge Ekitike. The conditions were simply too bad.
Some fans were just hoping the players would get through the match without injuries. “I just hope they manage to get through the game without any injuries,” one concerned fan wrote.
And that’s the bigger issue here. With a pitch in such poor condition, players are at risk. Twisted ankles. Pulled hamstrings. Awkward landings. No one wants to lose a star player to injury during pre-season — especially not one who just cost £79 million.
The reaction from fans shows something deeper too. Expectations are high at Liverpool right now. Arne Slot is in his first season, and the pressure is already building. Fans want results. They want attacking football. And they want to see their new signings perform immediately.
Ekitike arrived with big hopes. At only 23 years old, he has already played in Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga. He’s tall, quick, and technically gifted. Liverpool believe he can become a superstar. But first impressions matter. And unfortunately for him, his first impression was made on a pitch that didn’t allow him to play his best football.
Still, it wasn’t all negative. In fact, many fans chose to look at the bigger picture. “You can see the potential,” one wrote. “He’s making the right runs. Once he gets used to the team and the system, he’ll be dangerous.” Another said: “Let’s be honest — none of the forwards looked great. It’s the pitch. It’s the first match. Give it time.”
There’s truth in that. Pre-season is not about results. It’s about fitness, chemistry, and rhythm. Players need time to gel. New signings need to understand their teammates. And coaches need to try out new tactics. Ekitike might not have scored or created a goal, but he showed glimpses. A quick turn here. A smart run there. A good layoff under pressure. Small things, but they matter.
The fans, for the most part, understand this. They’re just frustrated because the conditions made it impossible to see a true debut. They wanted fireworks. They got frustration. Some fans also questioned the organisers. “How are we playing on a pitch like this in 2025?” one asked. “Surely Liverpool should demand better.”
It’s a fair point. When a club like Liverpool travels around the world, they expect world-class facilities. Their brand is global. Their players are superstars. And yet here they were, playing on a surface that wouldn’t be accepted in the Championship.
Even the broadcast coverage pointed it out. The commentators mentioned how hard it was for the players to control the ball. How difficult it was to move the ball quickly. How much it was affecting the tempo of the game. And so the big talking point of the night wasn’t Ekitike’s debut. It wasn’t Darwin Nunez’s second-half performance. It wasn’t even the final score. It was the pitch.
That’s rare. Usually, when a big-money signing makes his debut, everything is about him. The way he walks. The way he runs. The way he celebrates. But this time, the story changed. The stage wasn’t good enough. The conditions weren’t right. And the performance suffered. As the game ended, Ekitike walked off the pitch with a calm face. He didn’t look upset. He didn’t look frustrated. He looked like a player who knew the job wasn’t finished. A player who knows this was just the beginning. A player who knows the best is yet to come.
And for Liverpool fans, that’s the hope. That this was just a slow start caused by a bad pitch. That Ekitike will shine once the real matches begin. That the £79 million wasn’t a mistake. The pressure will stay. That’s football. Especially at a club like Liverpool. Every game is watched. Every touch is judged. Every minute matters. But fans are willing to give him time — as long as the conditions are right.
Now, attention turns to the next friendly. Another chance to see Ekitike. Another chance to judge him. Another chance to hope. Will he score next time? Will he click with Mo Salah? Will he silence the Isak rumours? Time will tell. But for now, fans will just remember one thing — the pitch ruined it.
And if Liverpool want to get the best out of their new striker, they’ll need to make sure this never happens again. Because talent needs a proper stage. And on his debut, Hugo Ekitike never got the one he deserved. He got a pitch that was too dry. Too bumpy. Too poor. And instead of headlines about his goals, fans were left talking about grass.
But maybe that’s a good thing. Because when the real matches come, when Anfield roars and the Premier League begins, the world will see the real Ekitike. On a proper pitch. In a proper game. With proper support. And maybe then, those same fans who were frustrated on a July afternoon in Japan, will stand and cheer as their new number nine scores his first goal in front of the Kop
