Tottenham Captain Cristian Romero Ruled Out for the Season

Tottenham Hotspur's captain, Cristian Romero, will not play again this season due to a knee injury. The defender was in tears as he left the field during Sunday's 1-0 loss to Sunderland after colliding with his own goalkeeper, Antonin Kinsky, while trying to defend against 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 setback for Tottenham, who are struggling to avoid relegation and are currently in the bottom three, two points from safety with only six league games remaining. New manager Roberto De Zerbi had already been dealing with injuries, including a fresh quad injury to Mohammed Kudus, and now he will have to find a replacement for Romero. Kevin Danso is likely to take Romero's place for the rest of the season. Romero is now facing a challenge to be fit in time for Argentina's World Cup campaign this summer. The injury occurred when Brobbey pushed Romero, who was trying to block him from getting the ball. Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher said the incident was not a serious foul, and Brobbey should not have been sent off. Ex-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 at Sunderland did little to boost their chances of avoiding relegation, and manager De Zerbi has a tough task ahead of him. The club's decision to appoint De Zerbi as one of the highest-paid head coaches in the division has been seen as a high-risk gamble. Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said he cannot believe Tottenham are in danger of being relegated and thinks they will struggle to win their remaining games.