Cristian Romero to miss final day

Roberto De Zerbi said on May 23 that Cristian Romero will miss Tottenham’s final Premier League match of the season against Everton on Sunday, confirming the club captain will not be available for selection. The Tottenham manager said he understood supporters’ anger over Romero’s absence as Spurs head into a final-day game with survival implications. Romero is sidelined by a knee injury and has traveled to Argentina rather than remain with the squad, according to reports carried by multiple outlets. The match is scheduled for Sunday, May 24, at Goodison Park, with the Premier League’s final round kicking off simultaneously across all 10 fixtures. The league has said the 2025-26 season ends on May 24 with all matches starting at the same time, as is customary on the final day. ### What exactly did De Zerbi say about Romero? Roberto De Zerbi said he could “100%” understand why Tottenham supporters were upset by Romero’s absence from the final-day game. (msn.com) Reports of his remarks said the manager was asked about the defender’s decision to be away from the club before the Everton match and responded by acknowledging the reaction from fans. (premierleague.com) Sky Sports and other outlets also reported De Zerbi saying, “Not all leaders are the same,” when discussing Romero’s situation. In separate remarks, he defended the defender’s conduct during his time under him, saying Romero had been “correct from the beginning until now.” (msn.com) ### Why is Romero not involved on Sunday? Cristian Romero is out with a knee injury, according to reports on De Zerbi’s comments ahead of the match. Several outlets said the Argentina international returned to Argentina during his rehabilitation and will not be at the stadium for Tottenham’s final game. Yahoo Sports and Sky Sports reported that Romero chose to fly to Argentina rather than stay in England for Tottenham’s season finale. (skysports.com) Those reports said his absence from the stadium, not just from the team sheet, became a flashpoint among supporters before the Everton game. ### Why has this become such a big issue for Tottenham fans? Tottenham go into the Everton match with their Premier League status still in play, according to final-day coverage cited in the briefing and by multiple outlets. (sports.yahoo.com) Reports on De Zerbi’s comments described the fixture as a relegation decider or survival match, which has sharpened scrutiny of Romero’s decision to be away while injured. (sports.yahoo.com) The controversy has centered on leadership as much as availability. De Zerbi’s comments drew a distinction between Romero’s absence and the expectations attached to a club captain before a decisive match, while still saying he understood supporters’ reaction. (msn.com) ### Where is Romero, and what has been reported about his plans? AOL and other outlets reported that Romero flew to Argentina this week rather than staying to watch Tottenham’s final game. World Soccer Talk reported he was expected to attend the Argentine league final involving his boyhood club Belgrano and River Plate, though that detail was carried by secondary reports rather than an official Tottenham statement. (skysports.com) Those reports have fueled the backlash because Romero is Tottenham’s captain and because the Everton match comes at the end of a season in which the club’s position has remained unsettled until the last day. De Zerbi did not dispute that supporters were angry; he said he understood it. ### What happens next on the final day? Everton host Tottenham at Goodison Park on Sunday, May 24, in one of 10 simultaneous Premier League kickoffs. (aol.com) NBC Sports and the Premier League fixture listings say the final round begins together across the division. Tottenham’s next step is now fixed: De Zerbi must pick a side without Romero for the match that closes the club’s league season. (sports.yahoo.com) Sunday’s game against Everton will determine how Spurs finish a campaign that has carried survival pressure into the final afternoon. (msn.com) (premierleague.com)