Cristian Romero has sparked anger among Tottenham fans after it emerged he will not attend the club's crucial Premier League relegation decider against Everton on Sunday. The Spurs captain, sidelined with a knee injury, has instead travelled to Argentina to watch his former club Belgrano play for the Argentine title.
Romero suffered the injury in Tottenham's 1-0 loss to Sunderland last month, ruling him out of the remaining matches. Manager Roberto De Zerbi confirmed the severity of the injury, saying: 'Romero, I'm very sorry for him. First of all, Romero loves Tottenham, people have to know he's suffering because he can't play for us again this season.'
Despite his absence, Tottenham have taken eight points from the last five games, leaving their fate in their own hands. Victory over Everton at home will secure 17th place and send West Ham down in 18th. The Hammers are two points behind and host Leeds on Sunday.
Romero's decision to support Belgrano against River Plate has drawn criticism on social media, with some fans calling it 'disgraceful' and suggesting it signals the end of his time at the club. The 28-year-old has been linked with a move to Atletico Madrid this summer, despite having three years left on his contract.
Romero joined Tottenham in 2022 from Atalanta and has made 156 appearances for the club. In his absence, Radu Dragusin and Kevin Danso have partnered Micky van de Ven in central defence, but they could not prevent a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea on Tuesday, setting up the final-day showdown.
