'I knew this could happen' - Cristian Romero speaks out on injury scare in Argentina's World Cup win over Austria

Romero aggravated a right knee issue 57 minutes into Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria. Romero was replaced by Nicolas Otamendi as Argentina secured passage to the knockout stages. Romero missed the last six matches of the Premier League season after injuring his right knee following a collision with Tottenham goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky.

Romero battled back to fitness for the World Cup and played 80 minutes when Argentina began their campaign with a 3-0 win over Algeria. Despite lasting just 12 minutes into the second half against Austria, Romero moved quickly to allay any significant injury fears regarding his knee.

Romero is optimistic that he will be fit in time for Argentina’s final group match against Jordan. He addressed the situation directly, making it clear that he expects to return quickly.

Romero told reporters: “I knew this could happen to me. I had a little issue there, I felt it again, but in 3 or 4 days I’ll be fine again, so that’s that. It’s nothing serious. Keep the head up and I'll come back stronger than before”. The injury scare comes as Romero remains a crucial part of the Argentina setup, having helped the Albiceleste to win the World Cup at Qatar 2022.

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni admitted that he is hoping for positive news. Scaloni acknowledged that Romero has been managing the knee problem for some time.

He said: “We don’t know the extent of Cuti Romero’s issue; it’s something he’s been dealing with for a while now. We hope it’s nothing serious. Not only because he’s important, even though he can be replaced, but it’s always important to have everyone available. He’ll undergo tests tomorrow or the day after.” Scaloni is expected to rotate the Argentina starting lineup for the game against Jordan, keeping one eye on the upcoming knockout rounds.

Romero will undergo medical evaluations to determine the full extent of the knee injury. Scaloni will likely rest Romero for the final group stage fixture against Jordan, ensuring that the Spurs star has adequate time to recover. Argentina will rely on Otamendi to step into the defence as they seek to preserve their 100 per cent record at this summer's tournament.