Cristian Romero is set to face a significant setback as he receives a four-match suspension, ruling him out of Tottenham's crucial north London derby against Arsenal. This disciplinary action comes on the heels of his red card during the intense match against Manchester United.
The Argentine defender, who was substituted at halftime in the recent draw with Manchester City due to illness, had already been struggling with his fitness, having played through discomfort in the preceding game against Eintracht Frankfurt. As a result, he will be absent when Tottenham hosts Arsenal on February 22, a match that not only represents a fierce rivalry but also serves as an opportunity for Spurs to challenge their opponents' pursuit of the Premier League title and avenge a previous 4-1 defeat suffered at the Emirates Stadium in November.
In addition to missing the pivotal clash with Arsenal, Romero's suspension means he will also be sidelined for the upcoming match against Newcastle on Tuesday night, as well as the away game at Fulham on March 1 and the home fixture against Crystal Palace on March 5. His next chance to contribute in league play won’t come until March 15, when Tottenham faces Liverpool at Anfield. However, it’s important to note that he will still be eligible to participate in the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16 tie, scheduled for either March 10 or March 11, where they will face one of several strong contenders, including Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Club Brugge, or Galatasaray.
Romero’s disciplinary issues are not new; he has faced ejections before, including a prior red card during a 2-1 home loss to Liverpool on December 20, where he was initially cautioned for dissent and later sent off after kicking out at Ibrahima Konate during stoppage time. This season alone, he has received eight yellow cards and missed a match against Fulham in late November due to accumulating five cautions.
Saturday’s dismissal marks the fourth red card of his career at Tottenham, tying him with former defender Younes Kaboul for the most red cards in the club’s Premier League history. Despite these troubles, Romero continues to hold onto the captaincy. However, Tottenham manager Thomas Frank expressed uncertainty about Romero's future with the club, particularly following a controversial Instagram post where Romero criticized the situation of having only 11 fit senior players after his exit from the match against City.
To compound Tottenham's woes during the match at Old Trafford, fellow player Destiny Udogie also suffered an injury, further deepening the team’s injury crisis, and he was replaced by debutant Souza.
This series of events raises questions about the depth and resilience of the Spurs squad moving forward. What do you think about Romero’s behavior and its implications for the team? Should the club consider a change in leadership given recent performances? Share your thoughts below!
