[The Athletic] Romero’s ‘childish antics’ strike again—even his biggest stans can't defend this

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Cristian Romero’s red card against Liverpool was totally unnecessary By Elias Burke Dec. 22, 2025 / Updated 3:16 pm

Manager Thomas Frank has consistently emphasized that Tottenham Hotspur players should applaud the home fans after matches, but such gestures have rarely been received warmly in the Premier League. Despite losing 2-1 to Liverpool last Saturday—marking their 5th home league loss of the season and a record-breaking 11th loss in a single year—many fans in the South Stand stood up to applaud the players who fought for a miracle result.

Tottenham handled the first red card situation well. In the 33rd minute, Xavi Simons was sent off for a challenge on his Dutch national teammate Virgil van Dijk’s calf. However, the defense crumbled after conceding to Alexander Isak right at the start of the second half, and it was at this point that captain Cristian Romero once again found himself at the center of controversy.

Thomas Frank’s reaction to Cristian Romero’s red card decision In the 83rd minute, with the team chasing the game after Richarlison’s goal, Romero was fouled by Konate and responded with a retaliatory kick, earning an immediate red card. Gary Neville slammed the move as 'absolute madness.'

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6907192/2025/12/22/cristian-romero-tottenham-liverpool-analysis/