The script for Tottenham Hotspur’s season often feels like it was written by a dramatist with a cruel streak, but the reality is that the club’s most polarizing figure, Cristian Romero, seems determined to write his own story.
Just days after the Argentine center-back made headlines by calling out the club’s hierarchy labeling the lack of available players “disgraceful” he managed to ensure that he himself would be unavailable for the next four matches. At Old Trafford on Saturday, the World Cup winner transitioned from a vocal leader defending his teammates to the very person who let them down.
Romero stood in the dressing room after the 2-0 defeat to Manchester United and apologized to his teammates. It was a gesture of accountability after leaving his side to battle for more than an hour with ten men. Yet, apologies can only go so far when the pattern of behavior becomes a recurring theme.
The 27-year-old currently splits the Spurs fanbase right down the middle. One half sees a world-class defender whose aggression is the heartbeat of the team; the other sees a liability whose recklessness is beginning to outweigh his brilliance.
The atmosphere on the journey back from Manchester to London perfectly captured this divide. On a delayed train to Euston, one boisterous supporter spent hours bellowing about Romero’s greatness, challenging anyone who dared to use the word “liability.”
By the time the train finally pulled into the station, the tired passengers were less concerned with tactical nuances and more interested in never hearing the defender’s name again. Thomas Frank likely shares that sentiment. For the Dane, it has been a week where almost every question he has faced has revolved around his captain, for reasons both good and bad.
Romero is a powerhouse within the club. He isn’t a man of many words, but when he speaks, the locker room listens. That influence is a double-edged sword when his actions on the pitch fail to back up his rhetoric.
We have seen the tackle on Casemiro many times before. Romero sees the ball and treats everything else in his path as an obstacle to be demolished. It is a “bazooka” approach to defending, and while it can be effective, it often results in studs meeting ankles rather than leather meeting leather.
The statistics are becoming harder to defend. This latest red card brings Romero to his fourth suspension of the season, and he is dangerously close to a fifth should he pick up two more yellow cards. When the Key Match Incident panel recently suggested he should have been sent off in both games against Brentford, it became clear that the officials are watching him with a microscope.
For a club captain to face four suspensions in a single campaign is nearly inexcusable. Last year, injury kept him out for 25 games; this year, a combination of his own choices and physical setbacks could see him miss a dozen more.
Thomas Frank has spent much of the season defending his skipper, often playing the role of the diplomat between a frustrated player and an under-fire board. Privately, however, Frank must be seething. He has backed Romero through his public outbursts, yet the Argentine repaid that loyalty by removing any hope Spurs had of a result at Old Trafford.
For the first thirty minutes, Tottenham looked bright and composed against a confident United side. The red card didn’t just change the momentum; it ended the contest.
| Cristian Romero Discipline Record | Total Cards |
| Red Cards (Spurs Career) | 6 |
| Red Cards (2025/26 Season) | 2 |
| Yellow Cards (2025/26 Season) | 8 |
| Total Games Missed (Suspension) | 12* |
Despite the disadvantage, the remaining players showed a resilience that Frank was quick to praise. Guglielmo Vicario was spectacular, pulling off a series of acrobatic saves to keep the scoreline respectable. However, even he couldn’t stop Bryan Mbeumo’s clinical finish just nine minutes after the dismissal.
It was a goal that highlighted a recurring flaw in the Spurs defense: a strange tendency to leave the edge of the box completely unmarked. Allowing a player of Mbeumo’s caliber that much space is a recipe for disaster.
The injury gods also decided to pile on the misery. Destiny Udogie, whose career in North London has been promising but plagued by physical fragility, left the field just ten minutes into the second half. The sight of the Italian clutching his hamstring has become an all-too-familiar vision for Spurs fans.
Udogie has missed nearly 40 games for club and country since 2023. There is a growing fear that he may follow the path of former Spurs left-backs who spent more time in the treatment room than on the turf.
One silver lining in the gloom was the debut of 19-year-old Souza. Thrown into a tactical nightmare, the young Brazilian showed flashes of why the club brought him in. His driving runs down the left flank were a breath of fresh air, and his defensive work was surprisingly tidy given the circumstances.
On the opposite side, Archie Gray another teenager displayed maturity beyond his years. He led the team in tackles and interceptions, though he was unfortunately involved in the defensive lapse that led to United’s second goal.
That second goal, a Bruno Fernandes finish, effectively killed the game. Micky van de Ven, who struggled to find his usual rhythm, was caught out of position, and the resulting cross found Fernandes for a low finish. It was United’s first win over Tottenham in nine attempts, a streak that ended thanks in large part to the “Doctor Tottenham” effect, or more accurately, the “Doctor Romero” effect.
Frank now faces a daunting run of fixtures without his leader. The North London derby looms, along with crucial games against Newcastle and Fulham. Romero will not return to Premier League action until mid-March.
The irony is that before this match, Tottenham’s football was actually showing signs of improvement. They were unbeaten in four and finally seemed to be finding a rhythm with Xavi Simons pulling the strings in midfield.
Availability remains the club’s biggest hurdle. With West Ham winning, Spurs sit just six points above the relegation zone. It is a precarious position for a club with such lofty ambitions. They must find a way to start winning again without the help of the transfer market and now without their captain.
Romero will undoubtedly continue to be a talking point, but for now, his voice will only be heard on social media rather than on the pitch. Tottenham needed a leader to guide them through a storm; instead, they are left with a captain watching from the sidelines while the waves continue to crash in.
