Antonio Conte reveals Romero has a 'very serious' hamstring injury

Antonio Conte reveals £47m defender Cristiano Romero will NOT play again this year because of a ‘very serious’ hamstring injury… with the Argentine potentially out until February

  • Cristian Romero suffered a ‘serious’ injury while on international duty last month
  • Antonio Conte confirmed he will play no part until 2022 as it is ‘very serious’
  • Romero went down clutching his left hamstring in a qualifier against Brazil
  • Conte was much more optimistic on the fitness of playmaker Giovani Lo Celso 

Cristian Romero could be out until February after further examinations showed the Argentina international has sustained a ‘very serious’ hamstring injury.

Tottenham boss Antonio Conte confirmed on Wednesday that Romero would not play again in 2021 and the plan is to check the injury ‘week by week’.

Romero went down in pain clutching his left leg during Argentina’s 2022 World Cup qualifying match against Brazil on November 16.

Cristian Romero picked up a ‘very serious’ hamstring injury while playing for Argentina

Tottenham boss Antonio Conte thinks Romero could be out through until February 2022

Conte has now confirmed that it is ‘very serious’ and the £47million summer signing faces as much as three months out. 

‘The news is not positive, not good,’ Conte said. 

‘The injury is serious and I think it will take time before to see him again. Surely next year and we need to check his injury week by week but the injury is serious.

‘Now he is trying to recover, he needs a long time. He needs time to recover. It’s a pity because he’s an important player for us but the injury is very serious.

‘January, February I don’t know but 2021 is finished to play. We have to wait to recover well but the injury is serious.’ 

The £47million summer signing had started Conte’s first two games but faces a long spell out

Romero was left out of the 2-1 win over Leeds United and also did not travel with the squad to Turf Moor for the postponed match against Burnley.

The Argentine looked set to be a key piece of the puzzle under Conte and he was given starts in Conte’s first two games in charge. 

Arriving for £47million from Atalanta, where he was named Serie A defender of the season for 2020-21, it has been an understated start to life at Tottenham but just as he was growing into the shirt he faces a lengthy lay-off.

Romero’s Argentina team-mate Giovani Lo Celso has also found himself sidelined through injury – but Conte is more optimistic on the return of his playmaker.  

‘For sure it was a pity but Giovani’s situation is much much better than Romero,’ the Italian said.

‘My expectation is to see him the day after we play against Brentford. He’s started to work on the pitch. 

‘And for sure Giovani is another player we need to try to exploit him. He’s a good player and now I want to work with him.’  

Conte was more optimistic on the recovery of Romero’s Argentina team-mate Giovani Lo Celso

Tottenham are preparing for back-to-back home games against Brentford and Norwich City and Conte is looking for a response following their embarrassing Europa Conference League defeat to Mura. 

Domestically they sit seventh, four points off the top four and Conte is determined to head into the January window with momentum on their side.

I know at the moment we’re a bit far from the top clubs but we need to work to improve the situation,’ he said. 

‘To start to and also to create a good basis where you start – and then you build.

‘We can do this and then our fans will support us and for sure, at the moment, it’s not simple, but I have great enthusiasm and great patience and I believe that here we can win something importance. We need patience and time but I have great desire to do something great.’ 




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