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 substituted out in tears after a collision with Spurs' goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky while defending against Sunderland's Brian Brobbey.
Reports suggesting Romero will recover in time for the World Cup are not entirely accurate, and his club season is now over. This latest setback 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 left to play.
New manager 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 as a substitute in the Sunderland game. 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 injury occurred when Brobbey, who was already on a yellow card, pushed Romero, leading to debate over whether the striker should have been given a second yellow and sent off. Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher believes the incident did not warrant a serious foul, while ex-Cardiff striker Jay Bothroyd argued that Brobbey's push was a result of Romero shielding the ball. Tottenham's struggles continue under De Zerbi, with the team's performance against Sunderland doing little to inspire confidence in their ability to avoid relegation. Despite De Zerbi's high-profile appointment, the same issues persist, and the team's upcoming fixtures, including games against Brighton, Wolves, and Aston Villa, will be crucial in determining their fate.