A host of Tottenham Hotspur players have gone away on international duty as their respective nations contest games in the final break of the year.
The likes of Son Heung-min, Dominic Solanke, Guglielmo Vicario, Destiny Udogie, Pedro Porro and Dejan Kulusevski, amongst many others, are – or will be – representing their countries.
Tottenham fans, along with those of virtually every other top-flight club, will be anxiously hoping their players emerge through the international break unscathed.
Sadly, one of Spurs’ key players had to come off in his latest game for his nation, with Cristian Romero unable to carry on in Argentina’s World Cup qualifying loss in Paraguay.
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Tottenham star Cristian Romero set for tests due to foot issue
Romero did not reappear for the second half of the 2-1 World Cup qualifying defeat at Asuncion’s Estadio Defensores del Chaco on Thursday evening.
With the score level at 1-1 at the break, the Tottenham defender could not see out the remainder of his 40th appearance for his country, and was forced to come off.
In Romero’s absence, Argentina conceded what turned out to be Paraguay’s winner in the 47th minute of the match.
According to Argentine journalist Gaston Edul, the Spurs man was playing with pain due to a knock he suffered the win over Aston Villa.
Romero could be seen showing the physios on the pitch at the time that the pain was at the base of his big toe, underneath his foot.
The Spurs man was absent for the Europa League loss at Galatasaray but he did return for the Premier League defeat against Ipswich Town.
Edul provided another update on Romero some hours later, saying the Tottenham centre-back would be undergoing tests and is at risk of missing out on Argentina’s next game.
The reigning World Cup champions are next in action on Tuesday night (12am GMT on Wednesday) at home against Peru.
Another defensive crisis brewing at Tottenham
Once again, Spurs risk lurching into yet another defensive crisis that is somewhat of their own making.
The Lilywhites opted not to sign any new centre-backs this summer, a decision which was controversial among fans at the time.
Now, with Tottenham set to head to Manchester City in their next game, they risk being without both of their first-choice centre-backs.
Indeed, Martin Keown has urged Spurs to “adjust” for Micky van de Ven so he doesn’t have to rely on his pace all the time and risk having regular hamstring problems.
Ange Postecoglou may be forced to use Ben Davies and Radu Dragusin against the four-in-a-row English champions.
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