Cristian Romero injury timeline emerges for Tottenham relegation run-in and World Cup hopes

Matters went from bad to worse for an injury-blighted Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, when Cristian Romero was forced off the pitch during his team's 1-0 loss to Sunderland

Cristian Romero looks likely to miss the rest of the season with Tottenham Hotspur, after picking up a nasty injury against Sunderland on Sunday.

The Argentine centre-half was attempting to shield the ball from Brian Brobbey midway through the second-half, when his right-knee collided with the head of Antonin Kinsky at pace. Romero was writhing in pain as he lay on the pitch of the Stadium of Light, before he and Kinsky received a lengthy treatment from club medical staff.

While Kinsky was able to play on after being bandaged up, the outlook for Romero was far more bleak - replaced by Kevin Danso as he hobbled off the pitch crying. Speaking about Romero's issue after the 1-0 loss in the north east, Roberto De Zerbi explained: "We don't know yet, we have to see in the next game, in the next days.

"I hope for us it's not too important problem, because he's a crucial player for us, he's a good guy, good player, top player, big personality and we need him to finish the season and to achieve our goal."

When asked if the injury pertained to the Spurs captain's knee, he added: "Maybe, yes, but I don't want to say nothing, because I don't know."

It has now been suggested by Canal 13 journalist, Martin Arevalo, that Romero will be out of action for between five and eight weeks, meaning his season with the Lilywhites is practically over as it reaches a crucial stage.

One of Tottenham's most seasoned players, De Zerbi has already made it clear that Romero is instrumental to the club avoiding relegation to the Championship in their last six matches of 2025/26.

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Speaking with NBC Sports, De Zerbi said of the defender: "I think Cuti is crucial for us, crucial for Tottenham as a club. He is the captain, he is maybe the most important player in our squad, and to achieve our goal, we need the best of Romero."

However, the reality is now that the Italian head coach will have to think quickly on his feet and put a contingency plan in place. At the time of writing, Spurs sit 18th in the Premier League standings, two points from safety - as a result of West Ham United leapfrogging them in the table on Friday thanks to a 4-0 win over Wolves.

And to make matters worse, Romero's injury is not the only issue De Zerbi will have to navigate across April and May. Guglielmo Vicario is a little while away from a return through hernia surgery, while James Maddison is yet to feature due to an ACL injury.

Wilson Odobert, Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur, Ben Davies and Mohammed Kudus are also still recovering from their respective problems.

The positive news for Romero is that he should be fit to feature for his nation at this summer's World Cup in North America, if reports ring true.

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