Cristian Romero of Tottenham Hotspur F.C. gesticulates during the Premier League match between Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur at Elland Road in Leeds, United Kingdom, on October 4, 2025.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has vowed not to take unnecessary risks with Cristian Romero’s fitness as the club captain prepares to make his long-awaited return in Saturday’s Premier League clash against Chelsea at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Romero has been sidelined since early October with an adductor injury, missing several key fixtures for Spurs. However, Frank confirmed that the Argentine defender is now ready to rejoin the squad after weeks of recovery and assessment.
“The positive news is that Romero, Destiny (Udogie) and Wilson (Odobert) are available for selection for Saturday,” Frank told reporters during Friday’s pre-match press conference.
“I am very aware of trying to take the best possible decisions. Of course, in the end, I will get a lot of information from medical and performance staff, but the final call is always mine,” he added.
Frank emphasized that he takes full responsibility for player welfare and team selection, acknowledging that injuries are often a delicate balance between readiness and risk.
“If a player breaks down, it is on me. It is not on the medical staff, not on the performance staff — always me. I take the information, then make a difficult choice, a brave choice, or sometimes an easy one,” he said.
The 27-year-old centre-back’s return comes almost exactly a year after he made his comeback in the same fixture last December, only to suffer another injury that kept him out for three months. Frank admitted that he is mindful of that history and will manage Romero’s minutes carefully.
“If Romero was fit enough, he would have been involved on Wednesday (against Newcastle), but he is ready now,” Frank said. “Let’s see how he is on matchday.”
Romero’s presence is expected to bolster a Tottenham backline that has missed his leadership and defensive authority in recent weeks. His absence coincided with a dip in Spurs’ form, though the team has managed to stay within the top three heading into this weekend’s London derby.
Chelsea, meanwhile, head into the fixture buoyed by their recent strong performances under Mauricio Pochettino and a dominant record against Tottenham. The Blues have won their last four meetings with Spurs, including two memorable encounters at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
One of those came last November when then-manager Ange Postecoglou famously maintained a high defensive line even after Spurs were reduced to nine men, leading to a dramatic 4-1 Chelsea victory.
“It was entertaining — and we are in the entertainment business, aren’t we?” Frank said with a smile when reminded of that match. “I remember that one with nine men and 4-1. That was crazy, but that is in the past.”
The Dane added that his team is fully focused on writing a new chapter in the North London club’s rivalry with Chelsea.
“Some games we are part of will always be remembered — for good or bad reasons,” Frank said. “Hopefully, tomorrow is one that people remember because we came out on the winning side.”
With Spurs currently sitting third in the Premier League table, the stakes are high for both sides. Chelsea, still rebuilding under Pochettino, will be eager to continue their resurgence, while Tottenham will aim to assert their credentials as genuine title contenders.
“It’s a London derby between two big rivals — there’s so much on it,” Frank said. “Against a very good Chelsea team, under the floodlights, it has everything to be a top game.”
Kick-off is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. East African Time (6:30 p.m. London time) at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
