Tottenham Captain Cristian Romero Ruled Out for the Season

Tottenham Hotspur captain Cristian Romero has been sidelined for the remainder of the season due to a knee injury. The defender was forced off the field in tears during Sunday's 1-0 loss to Sunderland after colliding with Spurs goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky while attempting to defend the ball from Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey. Reports suggesting that Romero will recover in time for the World Cup are not entirely accurate, but his club season is now over. Romero's injury is a significant blow to relegation-threatened Spurs, who are currently in the bottom three and two points from safety with only six league games remaining. This is another injury issue for new Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi, who had expected to rely on Mohammed Kudus only for the forward to suffer a fresh quad injury. De Zerbi will now have to navigate the rest of the season without Romero, whom he had described as a 'crucial player' after the defeat at the Stadium of Light. When asked about Romero's injury, De Zerbi expressed his concern, stating that he hoped it was not a significant problem because Romero is a vital player for the team. Kevin Danso is in line to replace Romero for the remainder of the season after the Austria international came on for him in the defeat at Sunderland. Romero is now facing a race against time to be fit for this summer's World Cup, where Argentina will defend their title in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Argentina's opening game is on June 17. The incident that led to Romero's injury has raised questions about whether Brobbey should have been sent off, but ex-Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher believes that the outcome of the incident should not influence the decision. Gallagher stated that if the goalkeeper had not been involved, the push by Brobbey would not have warranted a second yellow card. Former Cardiff striker Jay Bothroyd added that Romero was trying to shield the ball and Brobbey's push was an attempt to get around him. Tottenham's performance in the defeat did little to inspire confidence that they can climb out of the relegation zone. The appointment of De Zerbi as one of the highest-paid head coaches in the division was a high-stakes gamble, and the same problems seem to persist despite the change in management. Sky Sports' Laura Hunter analyzed De Zerbi's first game in charge, while Jamie Carragher expressed his doubts about Tottenham's ability to avoid relegation, stating that they look like a team that is going to go down.