Tottenham are set to host Aston Villa in the 3rd round of FA Cup on Saturday, 10th of January, 2026.
Tottenham Hotspur will start their FA Cup campaign tomorrow as they host Aston Villa in their third-round tie.
The North Londoners have been given a massive blow just hours before the game, as skipper Cristian Romero has been officially ruled out of the game. This comes after a recent ruling by the Football Association.
The Lilywhites have been waiting for the FA’s verdict on that Romero send-off against Liverpool last month. It was when Romero picked up a couple of yellow cards that he was shown the red carpet in the game.
But more than the red-carpet send-off, it was his reaction after being shown the card that had him at risk of further punishment.
The FA confirm Cristian Romero suspension
Now, just ahead of the Lilywhites’ tie against Aston Villa, the Football Association has confirmed that the Argentine will be sanctioned for failing to leave the field of play quickly and then for acting in a confrontational and aggressive manner towards the referee.
The North Londoners had appealed the decision, but the FA verdict now shows that the appeal has failed.
This means that Cristian Romero will be given a one-match suspension (which he will serve against Aston Villa tomorrow) alongside a £50,000 fine.
FA took to their official social media account to speak for Cristian Romero’s charge:
“Cristian Romero has been sanctioned in relation to the Premier League fixture between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool on Saturday 20 December 2025. It was alleged that he acted improperly around the 93rd minute by failing to leave the field of play promptly and/or behaving in a confrontational and/or aggressive manner towards the referee. The defender subsequently admitted the charge, and an independent Regulatory Commission has now imposed a one-match suspension and £50,000 fine after a hearing. The Regulatory Commission’s written reasons for these sanctions will be published in due course.”
Author Opinion
It will be a significant blow for Tottenham. The North Londoners have already been struggling in the ongoing campaign, and that shows in their run of just a couple of wins in their last 12 league games going into tomorrow’s game against Villa. And now on top of it, they will also be without Romero, which could just prompt Chris Sutton’s prediction into more of a prophecy.
The Villans knocked Tottenham out of the FA Cup last season, and they currently sit among the top three in the Premier League under Unai Emery. Without Romero, Thomas Frank will have to move a bit of his backline. Kevin Danso will most likely come into the starting eleven to play alongside Micky van de Ven.
Given that his suspension applies in the FA Cup, Romero will return for Tottenham on January 17, when Tottenham face West Ham United in what is a crucial London derby for both sides and could well end up deciding the futures of their respective head coaches.
How big of an absence would Cristian Romero be for Tottenham against Aston Villa tomorrow? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
