Tottenham Hotspur's captain, Cristian Romero, will be sidelined for the remainder of the season after suffering a knee injury. The defender was in tears as he was substituted during the team's 1-0 loss to Sunderland on Sunday, following a collision with goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky while attempting to defend the ball from Sunderland's Brian Brobbey. Contrary to reports suggesting that Romero will recover in time for the World Cup, his club season is now over.
Romero's injury is a significant setback for relegation-threatened Tottenham, who are currently in the bottom three and two points away from safety, with only six league games left to play. New manager Roberto De Zerbi had previously expressed his reliance on Romero, labeling him a 'crucial player' after the Stadium of Light defeat. However, De Zerbi will now have to find an alternative, with Kevin Danso likely to replace Romero for the remainder of the season.
Romero faces a challenge to regain fitness in time for Argentina's World Cup title defense in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, with their first game scheduled for June 17. The incident that led to Romero's injury has sparked debate over whether Brobbey should have been sent off, given that he was already on a yellow card.
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher believes that the outcome of the incident should not influence the decision, stating that the foul was not severe enough to warrant a red card. Ex-Cardiff striker Jay Bothroyd offered a different perspective, suggesting that Brobbey's push on Romero was a result of the defender's attempt to shield the ball, which led to the collision. Tottenham's struggles continue under new manager De Zerbi, with the team's performance against Sunderland failing to inspire confidence in their ability to avoid relegation.
Despite De Zerbi's high-profile appointment, the same issues persist, and the team's chances of survival look increasingly slim. 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 the team looks likely to go down and that their upcoming fixtures appear daunting.