Tottenham Hotspur captain Cristian Romero will be out for the remainder of the season due to a knee injury sustained during the team's 1-0 loss to Sunderland on Sunday. The Argentine defender was forced off the field in tears after colliding with goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky while attempting to defend against Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey. Reports suggesting Romero will recover in time for the World Cup are deemed inaccurate, and his club season is now officially over.
This latest setback is a significant blow to relegation-threatened Spurs, who are currently in the bottom three and two points away from safety with only six league games left to play. Manager Roberto De Zerbi had previously expressed his reliance on Romero, labeling him a 'crucial player' after the Sunderland defeat.
The injury occurred when Brobbey, who was already on a yellow card, pushed Romero, leading to questions about whether the striker should have received a red card. However, former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher argued that the foul was not severe enough to warrant a sending-off. With Romero out, Kevin Danso is expected to replace him for the remainder of the season.
Romero now faces a challenging race to regain fitness in time for Argentina's World Cup title defense, which begins on June 17. Tottenham's struggles persist under De Zerbi, with the team's performance against Sunderland doing little to inspire confidence in their ability to avoid relegation.
The appointment of De Zerbi as one of the highest-paid head coaches in the division has been seen as a high-stakes gamble, and the team's ongoing problems have sparked concerns about their chances of survival.