Overview

• Cristian Romero pulled out in the warm-up with an adductor problem before Tottenham’s 2-1 home defeat to Aston Villa, with Kevin Danso drafted in to start alongside Micky van de Ven.
• Thomas Frank described Romero’s issue as “minor” but said he does not know if his captain will be fit to face Monaco in the Champions League on Wednesday.
• Tottenham’s defensive options are stretched, with Ben Davies unavailable, Radu Dragusin not yet ready after ACL recovery, Kota Takai still building fitness, and Destiny Udogie reporting knee irritation.
• Danso finished the match in some discomfort after an ankle blow, leaving academy defender Jun’ai Byfield as the only centre-back on the bench against Villa.
• Romero’s importance is underscored by results and metrics, with Spurs winning 50% of league games with him since 2023/24 versus 23% without, and his partnership with Van de Ven central to their defensive stability.