Tottenham captain Cristian Romero will not attend the club’s final Premier League match of the season against Everton, with the defender instead remaining in Argentina while recovering from injury.
Spurs head coach Roberto de Zerbi defended the decision, explaining that Romero’s return home had been agreed with the club’s medical department as part of his rehabilitation from a knee problem. The Argentina international is attempting to recover in time for this summer’s World Cup.
Tottenham head into Sunday’s fixture still needing points to secure Premier League survival. Victory would guarantee safety, while a draw is also likely to be enough because of the club’s stronger goal difference compared with 18th-placed West Ham United.
Although several injured Tottenham players, including Ben Davies, are expected to attend the match, Romero will reportedly instead watch his former club Belgrano face River Plate in Argentina later that evening.
De Zerbi backs Romero despite criticism
De Zerbi insisted he had no issue with Romero’s conduct and said the defender had always behaved professionally during their time working together. The Italian coach stressed that if he believed a player was putting personal interests ahead of the club, his opinion would be very different.
According to De Zerbi, Romero discussed the situation with Tottenham’s medical staff before the decision was approved. The manager added that the injury situation had to be accepted and that the defender had consistently shown commitment to the team.
At the same time, De Zerbi admitted he completely understood why many Tottenham supporters might feel unhappy about their captain being almost 7,000 miles away during one of the club’s most important matches in recent years.
Former Spurs captain and manager Glenn Hoddle strongly criticised Romero’s absence, describing the situation as “scandalous.” Ex-Tottenham striker Teddy Sheringham also questioned why the defender had been allowed to leave, saying he should have remained with his team-mates to offer support in the dressing room.
Injury recovery raises questions over timing
Belgrano president Luis Artime reportedly confirmed Romero has permission to use the Argentine club’s training facilities while continuing his recovery from the injury suffered against Sunderland in April.
The defender recently congratulated Belgrano after they qualified for the Apertura final in Argentina’s top division. That match is scheduled to begin later on the same day Tottenham hosts Everton.
While it is common for footballers recovering from lengthy injuries to return temporarily to former clubs in their home countries, the timing of Romero’s trip has attracted particular attention because of Tottenham’s situation near the bottom of the table.
Spurs are one of only six clubs to have competed in every Premier League season and have not played outside the top division since the 1977-78 campaign. Even though Romero cannot contribute on the pitch because of injury, criticism has focused on the absence of the club captain during such a critical moment.
Uncertainty remains around Romero’s future
When asked whether Romero had already played his final game for Tottenham, De Zerbi declined to give a clear answer about the defender’s long-term future at the club.
The manager described Romero as both a top footballer and an excellent person during their time together but admitted he could not predict what would happen beyond the end of the season.
De Zerbi instead stressed the importance of Sunday’s match for the club, the supporters, and the squad. According to the Italian, all focus must remain on the players available for selection and on securing the result needed to stay in the Premier League.
He added that Romero’s presence at the stadium would not change the situation on the field and said he preferred to concentrate entirely on preparing the team capable of achieving survival.