Tottenham skipper Cristian Romero will miss the rest of the season after suffering a knee injury against Sunderland.
After the sad news that Mohammed Kudus may not play again this season due to a setback, Cristian Romero left the field in tears in Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-0 loss to Sunderland.
Cristian Romero had injured his knee colliding with Spurs goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky after Brian Brobbey had pushed the defender in the back as he tried to shield the ball. Kinsky was down receiving lengthy medical treatment and had his forehead wrapped up with a bandage. On the other hand, Romero was seen getting up slowly and receiving medical treatment too, having his knee buckled in the collision with his goalkeeper.
The Argentine was seen in tears as he gingerly made his way to the sidelines to be substituted by Kevin Danso. Roberto De Zerbi admitted Romero suffered a knee injury but couldn’t give a proper timeline. On Monday, reputable South American journalist Gaston Edul revealed that the central defender will not play again this season, needing at least six weeks to recover from his knee injury. Fortunately, he has not sustained a torn collateral ligament and will not undergo surgery.
Ally McCoist makes a telling admission on Cristian Romero amid Tottenham’s relegation battle
Romero’s absence is a major setback for De Zerbi as he bids to keep Tottenham in the Premier League. The 2022 World Cup winner has been a mainstay in the Spurs side, taking over the captaincy role from Son Heung-min following his departure in August. After a strong start to the season, he has struggled with form in 2026. Ill-discipline has been the major concern, with the defender picking up two red cards.
Keeping all such factors in mind, talkSPORT show host Jeff Stelling asked Ally McCoist whether Tottenham are better off with Romero. To which Ally McCoist responded:
“He is a loose cannon. There’s no doubt about that. But he can also play. He definitely can also play.
“Look, I don’t know, Jeff, but he looks to me as if he’s one of these guys that if Tottenham go down, yes, he’ll be disappointed and he’ll say all the right things, but he’ll be away to Atletico Madrid or whatever it will be at the start of next season. That’s what I think.”
Kevin Danso must show his quality
Kevin Danso has often proven to be a reliable deputy this season. He performed very well after replacing Romero in the last 20 minutes against Sunderland, keeping things tight at the back.
The Austrian international has operated in a back three and flat back four this season, and in Romero’s injury absence, he is expected to get the nod to start ahead of Radu Dragusin against Brighton at home on Saturday. Danso may prove to be a better choice than Romero in the final few weeks of the season, as he is less likely to do something reckless and get himself sent off.