Tottenham Hotspur's captain, Cristian Romero, will be sidelined for the remainder of the season after sustaining a knee injury. The Argentine defender was forced off the pitch in tears during Sunday's 1-0 loss to Sunderland, following a collision with goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky while attempting to defend the ball from Sunderland's Brian Brobbey. Reports suggesting that Romero will recover in time for the World Cup are deemed inaccurate, and his season with the club has come to a premature end. Romero's absence is a significant blow to relegation-threatened Tottenham, who are currently in the bottom three and two points adrift of safety with only six league games remaining.
The injury is another setback for new manager Roberto De Zerbi, who had previously expressed his reliance on Romero, labelling him a 'crucial player' for the team. Kevin Danso is likely to replace Romero for the remainder of the season, having come on as a substitute during the defeat at Sunderland. Romero faces a challenging task to regain fitness in time for Argentina's World Cup title defense, which kicks off on June 17.
The incident that led to Romero's injury has sparked debate over whether Brobbey should have been sent off, with ex-Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher stating that the push was not a serious foul. Former Cardiff striker Jay Bothroyd argued that Brobbey's actions were a result of Romero shielding the ball, and the incident was an unfortunate consequence of the defender's attempts to block Brobbey. Tottenham's struggles persist under De Zerbi, with the team's performance against Sunderland doing little to alleviate concerns about their ability to avoid relegation. Sky Sports pundits, including Jamie Carragher, have expressed their doubts about Tottenham's chances of survival, citing the team's poor performance and unfavorable fixtures.