Tottenham Hotspur captain Cristian Romero became the subject of strong criticism from Brazilian journalist Fred Caldeira after the club’s Champions League match against Atletico Madrid.
However, the reporter later admitted he had judged the situation incorrectly.
Caldeira, who covers European football for TNT Sports Brazil, initially criticised Romero for not speaking to the press after the game.
From his position in the mixed zone, the journalist believed the Argentina international had avoided media duties despite wearing the captain’s armband.
Speaking shortly after the match, Caldeira argued that Tottenham’s captain should have faced reporters, especially during a difficult moment for the team.
“Romero doesn’t deserve to wear the captain’s armband at Tottenham,” he said. “It’s very easy to be brave when things are going well. Cristian Romero should have given an interview today. It was his obligation as captain.”
The journalist also compared Romero’s absence to the behaviour of other leaders in English football.
“You value when you see Virgil van Dijk speaking at Liverpool, or players who have faced the media during difficult years at Manchester United,” he added.
At the time, Caldeira believed Romero had simply chosen not to appear in the mixed zone. According to him, the only Tottenham players he saw giving interviews were Archie Gray, Djed Spence and Kevin Danso.
He went further in his criticism, claiming the defender was far from helping the club during a difficult period.
“He’s not the main culprit for what’s happening, but he’s also not someone who is helping. At the very least he should face the situation, and he isn’t doing that.”
Journalist later clarifies situation
A few hours later, however, Caldeira publicly corrected his assessment.
Posting on social media, the reporter admitted he had made an unfair judgement after discovering Cristian Romero had suffered a head collision with João Palhinha during the match.
“I committed an injustice with Romero,” Caldeira wrote. “I have to leave the pitch minutes before the final whistle to reach the post-match interviews in time, so I didn’t see the head collision between Romero and Palhinha. Clearly he was not in condition to give interviews.”
The clarification significantly changes the context around Romero’s absence from the media area, suggesting the defender’s failure to speak was due to medical reasons rather than a decision to avoid questions.
A blunt assessment on Tottenham’s situation
Caldeira also expanded his criticism to Tottenham’s broader situation and the decisions around manager Igor Tudor and goalkeeper Antonín Kinský.
Commenting on the fallout from the heavy defeat, the Brazilian reporter said Tudor should have already lost his job after the match. In his view, the Croatian manager should have been sacked “before the plane landed in London”.
Caldeira then delivered an even harsher assessment of the club’s current level.
“Since I arrived in England – it will be ten years in September – I have never seen a Big Six team like this,” he said. “This version of Tottenham is the worst Big Six team I have seen.”
He also compared the situation to difficult moments experienced by Manchester United in recent years, but argued Tottenham’s problems currently go even deeper.
“I know Manchester United have had very bad moments as well, but this is a wandering soul. Tottenham are a living dead team.”
Caldeira told a South American audience the situation has become so worrying that Premier League relegation is a real threat.
“If I am a West Ham player – the first club in the relegation zone, just one point behind Tottenham with nine rounds to go – I’d rub my hands together and sharpen the knife, because there is still a direct match to come.”
Caldeira also claimed several teams currently outside the traditional elite are playing better football than Spurs.
“It’s difficult to find someone playing worse than Tottenham. In the Premier League, nobody. At this moment even Wolverhampton play better than Tottenham.”
For the journalist, the situation is difficult to reconcile with the club’s financial strength.
“It’s very serious what is happening. I can’t believe I’m saying this about the club with the ninth biggest revenue in the world, with a chance of relegation.”
