Tottenham captain ‘not having the best time’ as Argentina defender returns to ‘bad situation’ with Roberto De Zerbi’s Premier League strugglers

Cristian Romero is preparing to return to a “bad situation” when the club captain rejoins Tottenham’s squad for the final seven games of their bid to beat Premier League relegation.

Speaking hours after Roberto De Zerbi became Spurs’ third coach of a troubled season, Romero acknowledged a difficult campaign that included a four-match ban in February for the 27-year-old’s second red card of the season.

“The truth is, I’m not having the best time there,” said Romero, speaking via Ole translation after Argentina’s 5-0 win over Zambia on Tuesday.

“That’s all. I have to get myself together, I have to think about the club now and get into the Tottenham mindset… trying to get out of this bad situation we’re in.

“As always, I’ll give my all in every training session, every match, and every effort to move forward.”

“Daft! Silly thing to do!”
“If he didn’t get involved in stuff like that, he’d be one of the best out there!”

No sympathy for Cristian Romero from Carra! 😬 pic.twitter.com/rjAvRWNkR2

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 22, 2025

Analysis: Cristian Romero’s season to forget at Spurs

Romero was ever-present in Tottenham’s promising start to the season at the beginning of Thomas Frank’s eight-month spell as manager, including wins and clean sheets in three of their first four league matches.

That was part of a run of five wins and one defeat in their first 10 games in this season’s top flight and Champions League, led by their new skipper who had extended his contract until 2029 in August.

Romero’s first injury absence coincided with a defeat to Aston Villa to start a sequence of one point from four home league matches.

Amid a dire run of form and increasing pressure from fans in January, Frank called Romero a “young leader” but said he had dealt internally with a social media post in which the player appeared to reference figures at the club by mentioning “other people” who “only show up when things are going well, to tell a few lies”.

“What is he doing?!”

Cristian Romero is sent off in stoppage time! 🟥 pic.twitter.com/Lketwxa46b

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 20, 2025

The previous month, Romero earned bookings for dissent and kicking out at opposition defender Ibrahima Konate after being fouled during a 2-1 home defeat by Liverpool.

He subsequently admitted an FA charge of “acting improperly by failing to leave the field of play promptly”, receiving an additional one-match suspension and £50,000 fine.

Romero did not taste victory in seven games after returning from that suspension, the last of which ended in the 29th minute with a red card for a challenge on Casemiro during a 2-0 defeat at Manchester United.

📹 The latest Ref Cam has arrived!

Here is the on-pitch view of Man Utd vs Spurs, including Cristian Romero’s red card for his challenge on Casemiro 🟥 pic.twitter.com/dhSJfZIMmp

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 11, 2026

“I’m baffled,” former Tottenham captain Michael Dawson told Sky Sports about the dismissal at Old Trafford.

“As a captain, you’re supposed to lead by example. You leave your team vulnerable… losing your captain and one of your best players. He’s let his team down again.”

The punishment ruled Romero out of Frank’s final game in charge – a home defeat to Newcastle – before the Dane was sacked on February 11.

Romero’s ban continued for three of Tottenham’s five league matches under doomed interim head coach Igor Tudor, as well as sitting out their draw at Liverpool in March through concussion.

Romero has now been sent off six times across all competitions since making his debut for Spurs, the most of any Premier League player within that period.

Thomas Frank couldn’t quite believe it…😳 pic.twitter.com/a06hWsqqHP

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 7, 2026

Under Tudor, who was sacked after seven games in charge, Romero played in both legs of Tottenham’s Champions League exit to Atletico Madrid and their 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest in the Croatian’s final match of his tenure.

Forest had been the only team separating Tottenham from third-bottom West Ham and Romero’s side will drop into the relegation zone if the Hammers win at home to bottom club Wolves on April 10.

Romero had called for unity when fans voiced their disapproval of Frank but he did not appear to offer a public response after the former Brentford manager’s departure.

When predecessor Ange Postecologu was sacked last June, Romero thanked the Australian for his two “incredible seasons” at the helm, calling him a “fantastic coach” and “a great person who deserves the best”.

“It’s painful, it’s a sad day”

Cristian Romero made a swift exit from his interview following Tottenham Hotspur’s 3–0 defeat to Nottingham Forest. pic.twitter.com/bcGsYnddaa

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 22, 2026

Will Cristian Romero stay at Tottenham?

Although Romero received criticism for his role in the thrashing by Forest, new coach De Zerbi is likely to regard his abilities on the ball as crucial if the Italian implements his familiar style of playing out from the back while waiting for triggers from opposition teams to switch possession.

Barring any more recklessness or injuries, De Zerbi will foresee Romero being available because he avoided a booking against Forest, with Premier League suspension deadlines meaning that he now cannot be banned even if he is booked for the 10th time this season when Tottenham visit 11th-placed Sunderland on April 12.

Should Tottenham avoid a relegation that might have seemed unthinkable at the start of 2025/26, Romero is poised to be a key part of former Marseille and Brighton & Hove Albion coach De Zerbi’s attempts to revive their fortunes.

Reports in Spain had suggested that Romero had a clause in his contract or a more informal agreement with former Spurs chairman Daniel Levy allowing Atletico, Real Madrid or Barcelona to buy him for around £52 million, but Tottenham reporter Alasdair Gold has said no such deal exists.

“If anyone wants him in the summer and Spurs are looking to sell, it will be for the price they want for someone who is under contract till 2029,” said Gold.

Did Romero play in Argentina’s friendlies for 2026 World Cup?

Romero played throughout Argentina’s wins over Mauritania on Friday and Zambia on Tuesday, which were their final home games before the 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico.

Manager Lionel Scaloni made Romero captain for the first of those matches, both of which took place at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires.

Argentina have won successive Copa America titles and the 2022 World Cup with Romero, who will have made a round flight of around 27 hours to play in their latest matches.

What’s next for Romero? Will Spurs stay up?

Spurs remain the only Premier League side yet to win in the top flight in 2026 and the international break means Romero has around 10 days in which to recover and train before their trip to the Stadium of Light.

After the defeat to Forest, they were fourth-favourites to go down with bookmakers behind Wolves, Burnley and West Ham.

At the time, stats experts Opta gave Tottenham a 27.1% chance of relegation and predicted they would stay up at West Ham’s expense, finishing a point or two above the Hammers.

Here are Romero and Tottenham’s next five fixtures.