Tottenham Hotspur captain Cristian Romero will not play again this season due to a serious knee injury. The Argentine defender was in tears as he was substituted during Sunday's 1-0 loss to Sunderland after a collision with goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky while attempting to block a shot 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 Spurs, who are currently in the bottom three and two points from safety with only six league games remaining.
New manager Roberto De Zerbi had previously stated his reliance on Romero, labeling him a 'crucial player' after the loss at Sunderland. De Zerbi had said, 'I hope for us it's not too important a problem because he's a crucial player for us. He's a good guy, good player, top player, big personality, and we need him to finish this season and achieve our goal.' With Romero out, Kevin Danso is likely to replace him for the remainder of the season.
Romero's injury occurred when Brobbey pushed him, leading to questions about whether the striker should have been sent off. Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher stated, 'We have to be careful we don't get seduced by the outcome - the injury. If the goalkeeper's not there, a little nudge, are you going to send him off for a second yellow card? The answer is most certainly no.' Ex-Cardiff striker Jay Bothroyd added, 'Romero is not in control of the ball and is trying to block Brobbey from getting it.
At some point, Brobbey can't see the ball anymore because he's so close to Romero. It's almost like he's pushed him to one side to see it.
That's the kind of incident that comes because defenders are trying to shield the ball.' Tottenham's performance in the loss to Sunderland did little to alleviate concerns about their ability to avoid relegation. Manager Roberto De Zerbi faces significant challenges in his new role, with the team's problems persisting 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 stay in the Premier League, saying, 'I can't believe it. Tottenham look like they're going to go down.
The other teams have something going for them. You look at fixtures, you think that's a good game for Tottenham. But they're awful.
Tottenham's a good game for them.'