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 Tottenham goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky while attempting to defend against Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey.
Although reports suggest Romero may recover in time for the World Cup, his club season is over. Romero's injury is a significant blow to relegation-threatened Tottenham, who are currently in the bottom three and two points from safety with only six league games remaining. This is another injury issue for new Spurs manager Roberto De Zerbi, who recently lost Mohammed Kudus to a quad injury.
De Zerbi had relied on Romero, calling him a 'crucial player' after the loss at Sunderland. Kevin Danso is likely to replace Romero for the remainder of the season.
Romero now faces a challenge to be fit for Argentina's World Cup title defense this summer. The incident that led to Romero's injury has raised questions about whether Brobbey should have been sent off, but former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher believes it was not a serious foul. Tottenham's performance against Sunderland did little to alleviate concerns about their ability to avoid relegation. Manager Roberto De Zerbi has a tough task ahead, with many of the same problems persisting despite his appointment.
The team's upcoming fixtures include matches against Brighton, Wolves, and Aston Villa.