Tottenham Hotspur's captain, Cristian Romero, will be out for the remainder of the season due to a knee injury sustained during Sunday's 1-0 loss to Sunderland. The Argentine defender was in tears as he was substituted off the field after colliding with Spurs' goalkeeper, Antonin Kinsky, while attempting to defend the ball from Sunderland's Brian Brobbey.
Reports suggesting 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 Tottenham, who are currently in the bottom three and two points from safety with only six league games left to play. New Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi, who had previously expressed his reliance on Romero, will now have to find an alternative for the rest of the season. Kevin Danso is likely to replace Romero, having come on for him during the Sunderland game.
Romero faces a challenge to regain fitness in time for Argentina's World Cup title defense, which begins on June 17. The injury occurred when Brobbey, who was already on a yellow card, pushed Romero, sparking debate over whether the striker should have been sent off. Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher stated that the incident did not warrant a second yellow card, while ex-Cardiff striker Jay Bothroyd argued that Brobbey's push was a result of Romero shielding the ball. Tottenham's performance in the defeat has raised concerns about their ability to climb out of the relegation zone, with many of their issues persisting despite the change in management.
Sky Sports pundits, including Jamie Carragher, have expressed doubts about Tottenham's chances of survival, with Carragher stating that the team looks likely to be relegated.