Tottenham Hotspur’s disciplinary woes have deepened this Christmas. On Wednesday, December 24, 2025, the Football Association (FA) officially charged Spurs captain Cristian Romero for his conduct following his dismissal in last Saturday’s 2–1 defeat to Liverpool.
The Argentine defender now faces the prospect of an extended suspension that could see him miss a significant portion of Tottenham's January fixtures.
The Incident: 93rd-Minute Meltdown
Romero was shown a second yellow card in the 93rd minute for "kicking out" at Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konaté as Spurs desperately chased an equalizer. However, the FA charge focuses specifically on his behavior after the red card was shown.
The Official FA Statement:
"It’s alleged that he [Romero] acted in an improper manner by failing to promptly leave the field of play and/or behaving in a confrontational and/or aggressive manner towards the match referee after being sent off."
Romero had earlier received his first booking for dissent, furiously protesting a perceived foul by Hugo Ekitike in the build-up to Liverpool's second goal.
The Potential Fallout
While Romero is already automatically banned for Tottenham’s final match of 2025 against Crystal Palace (December 28), the new charge could add 2–3 additional games to his suspension if found guilty.
Tottenham’s Upcoming Schedule:
Dec 28: Crystal Palace (Away) – Automatic 1-match ban
Jan 1: Brentford (Away) – Potential extension
Jan 4: Sunderland (Home - FA Cup) – Potential extension
Jan 7: Bournemouth (Away) – Potential extension
Romero has until Friday, January 2, 2026, to respond to the charge.
Thomas Frank Defends His Captain
Spurs head coach Thomas Frank (who took over after Ange Postecoglou's departure in June) was vocal in his defense of the defender, despite Romero already accumulating seven bookings this season.
"Cuti is extremely passionate," Frank said. "The second goal was a clear foul by Ekitike. If the referee does his job there, the first yellow never happens. We have a player who carries this team on his back; sometimes that passion goes to the line."
Discipline Watch: Spurs in the "Red Zone"
Tottenham narrowly avoided a separate FA fine for team ill-discipline after receiving six cards in the Liverpool match. | Player | Card | Reason | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Xavi Simons | Red | Serious foul play (vs Van Dijk) | | Cristian Romero | Red (2x Yellow) | Dissent Kicking out | | Thomas Frank | Yellow | Technical area conduct | | Micky van de Ven | Yellow | Tactical foul |
The Verdict: With Spurs currently sitting 14th in the table, losing their captain and most experienced defender for the start of 2026 is a massive blow to Thomas Frank’s survival and recovery plans.