Tottenham captain Cristian Romero won’t be playing in the final game against Everton.
Instead of being at Tottenham’s important last game of the season against Everton, club captain Cristian Romero is heading back to Argentina to watch his childhood team, Belgrano, play against River Plate.
Romero, who injured his knee in April and won’t play again this season, has often been seen cheering from the stands as Tottenham fight to avoid relegation. He even joined in celebrating a goal against Leeds recently and got involved with the coaching staff on the sidelines.
But this Sunday, he won’t be in North London. Instead, he’ll watch the final of the Argentine Championship — a huge match for him since he grew up with Belgrano and made his pro debut there as a teen.
On talkSPORT, host Paul Hawksbee criticized Romero for missing such a vital game for Tottenham, saying, “Good club captain, then. Not at Tottenham’s biggest game since 1976—fantastic. True to the end, good old Cristian.”
South American football expert Tim Vickery, however, explained why Romero’s choice makes sense. “Belgrano is his club, where he started, and he’s a passionate fan,” he said. “They’ve never won the championship and now face River Plate, who have won the most titles ever, so this game is historic.” He added some history too, about a playoff 15 years ago that led to River Plate’s relegation, saying it’s a big deal on both sides.
Hawksbee wasn’t convinced. “I’ll be wearing my River Plate shirt this weekend, but I think it’s terrible,” he said. “He’s choosing to watch the club he loves rather than stand with his Tottenham teammates in a huge match. I always felt Romero was just passing through Tottenham and it’s bitter to see this.”
Many Tottenham fans have also been upset by Romero’s decision. One wrote, “Our captain skipping the biggest league match in years—he should never wear the Spurs shirt again. This shows a real problem in the club culture.” Another said, “I’ve always supported Romero, but if this is true, he shouldn’t be allowed back at Hotspur Way after this season.”
Comments like “Absolutely disgraceful” and “Poor, Cuti. Really poor” have also popped up from fans, with some saying this might be the end of Romero’s time at Tottenham, despite his great moments with the club.
Tottenham, who have never been relegated in the Premier League era, still risk dropping down this season. They’re just two points ahead of West Ham, who sit in the relegation zone, before the final game of the season.