‘Not Under Discussion’ – Tottenham Star Backed By Coach At World Cup | OneFootball

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Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni is seeking the perfect defensive partner for Tottenham Hotspur captain Cristian Romero ahead of the World Cup, while his leadership within the squad remains beyond doubt.

The World Cup winner heads into the tournament on the back of a turbulent campaign with Spurs, who found themselves dragged into a relegation battle before eventually securing their top-flight status on the final day of the season.

The Tottenham captain featured in just 23 league matches, most often lining up alongside trusted defensive partner Micky van de Ven, with the Dutchman previously speaking of the strong understanding he shares with the Argentine.

Romero missed six matches through suspension and a further nine through injury, with a knee problem ruling him out for the final six games of the campaign.

One former Spurs man suggested the defender’s frustration over the injury stemmed more from the prospect of potentially missing the World Cup than from being unable to help the club in their fight for survival.

Fortunately for the 51-cap Argentina international, everything has fallen into place for the World Cup.

Having completed his recovery, Romero is now poised to represent Argentina at the tournament, beginning with the opening clash against Algeria on 17th June.

Scaloni, however, still has a major call to make before Wednesday, with central defence remaining one of the few areas of uncertainty for his Argentina team.

Despite Romero’s difficult Premier League season with Tottenham, his place in the starting lineup appears beyond doubt.

According to Argentine outlet El Intransigente, sources close to the coaching staff insist that ‘Romero’s leadership within the team is not under discussion’, with Scaloni’s primary concern centred on identifying the ideal partner to play alongside him.

The 48-year-old has acknowledged that he is still searching for the perfect defensive complement to Romero, with Nicolas Otamendi and Lisandro Martinez emerging as the leading contenders.

Argentina have now called up Tottenham new boy Marcos Senesi to add to their defensive options.

Having only recently returned from a knee injury, Romero was given limited minutes in Argentina’s warm-up wins over Honduras and Iceland, with the reigning world champions keeping clean sheets in both matches.

The Tottenham centre-back’s disciplinary record has also drawn scrutiny in recent seasons, with one former top-flight manager claiming he would embarrass Romero in order to improve his on-field discipline.

Scaloni will be hoping the 28-year-old remains both fit and composed at the back as Argentina look to maximise their chances of successfully defending the World Cup crown.