Roberto De Zerbi press conference injury update ahead of Tottenham vs Brighton & Hove Albion, with latest on Romero, Bentancur and Vicario
Tottenham Hotspur return to action on Saturday evening with a crucial clash against Brighton & Hove Albion, knowing time is running out in their fight for Premier League survival.
Spurs sit two points from safety with just six games remaining, making this a must-win fixture at home.
It will also be the first home game in charge for Roberto De Zerbi, whose debut ended in a narrow 1-0 defeat away at Sunderland.
Despite the result, there was a sense of frustration around several key incidents at the Stadium of Light, which shaped not only the outcome of the game, but potentially the rest of Spurs’ season.
One of those was Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey‘s reckless push on Cristian Romero that sent him tumbling into goalkeeper Antonín Kinský, which led to the Argentine suffering an injury that rules him out for the remainder of the season.
Romero blow but Bentancur returns as midfield boost
De Zerbi confirmed that Cristian Romero will miss the remainder of the season, and discussed potential replacements for the coming matches.
“Romero, I’m very sorry for him, for his injury,” De Zerbi said at his pre-match press conference.
“First of all, Romero loves Tottenham, people have to know he’s suffering for this injury, suffering because he can’t play for us again this season. He’s a great captain for us. We have to be positive.
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“We have Radu Dragusin and Kevin Danso, they are able to play, to play well, to give us the quality with the ball and to be strong in the defensive space so we can win. We want to win.”
There is, however, a timely boost in midfield, with Rodrigo Bentancur back and available after undergoing surgery earlier this year.
“Bentancur is available to play, I don’t know if he starts the game or not. Bissouma is available 100% more than Sunderland game but Vicario, no. Vicario is another top guy.
“I’m looking forward to work with him. Kinsky played very well against Sunderland, but Vicario is another important player for us – big experience, big character and personality.”
Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario remains sidelined following surgery, meaning Antonín Kinský is set to continue between the posts.
De Zerbi also spoke about the importance of leadership within his squad, highlighting James Maddison as a key figure as he works his way back to full fitness.
“There are a lot of different types of leader,” he said. “The leader who talks inside of the dressing room, the leader with the ball, the leader in the tough moment, the leader because he helps the teammates.
“I think to be a stronger team we need many many leaders, for sure Maddison is different, Maddison is a top player on the pitch with the ball but also as a personality, as a character, as a mentality on the pitch.”
With injuries continuing to test the squad, Spurs must now find a way to respond as their survival hopes hang in the balance.