Cristian Romero given further ban for behaviour in Liverpool defeat

Tottenham Hotspur captain Cristian Romero has received an additional one‑match suspension for his conduct following his sending off in last month’s 2–1 Premier League defeat to Liverpool.

The Argentina defender was dismissed in stoppage time at Anfield after picking up a second yellow card for kicking out at Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konaté. Instead of leaving the pitch promptly, Romero remained on the field, remonstrating with the referee and protesting the decision, behaviour the Football Association later deemed improper.

The FA subsequently charged Romero over his reaction to the red card. He accepted the charge, and an independent regulatory commission has now imposed a one‑match ban on top of his automatic suspension, alongside a substantial £50,000 fine. The punishment reflects the governing body’s stance on dissent and aggressive reactions towards match officials.

Romero has already served his mandatory suspension in Spurs’ 1–0 victory over Crystal Palace on 28 December, but this new ruling means he will miss another league fixture, further depleting a Tottenham side struggling for form. The team sit in the lower half of the table and have failed to win any of their last three matches, adding pressure on both players and coaching staff.

In the aftermath of the incident and the team’s poor results, Romero posted an apology to supporters on social media, acknowledging his mistake and the impact of his actions on the club. He suggested that players should not always be the ones pushed to face angry fans, but accepted responsibility for his conduct.

Manager Thomas Frank defended his captain’s character, describing Romero as a “young leader” who made an error in judgment. Frank confirmed that he and sporting director Johan Lange met with Romero to address the incident and his public comments, underlining the club’s expectation that its captain set the right example in discipline and behaviour.