Tottenham defender Cristian Romero insists that he has ‘nothing but respect’ for Harry Maguire and admitted that he was wrong to taunt the Manchester United captain last month. The 23-year-old was captured screaming in Maguire’s face after he scored an own goal when Spurs travelled to Old Trafford in March.
However, the Red Devils went on to win the match 3-2 with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring a sensational hat-trick. Romero’s reaction to Maguire’s misfortune drew much criticism from fans and pundits alike and the Spurs centre-back has now had his say on the controversial incident, but didn’t issue an apology to the United skipper.
“I think sometimes things happen in football and maybe if you capture a moment with a single photo it can seem like something that wasn’t really happening,’ Romero told The Athletic.
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“I’ve got nothing but respect for Harry Maguire. He’s a top player who is having a great career. And generally I always respect my opponents so I think people who don’t know about the game get hold of a story and run with it and talk about something that’s not really there. Maybe on that occasion I didn’t quite do the right thing but I had no bad intentions.”
Since the defeat at Old Trafford, Spurs have won their last four games - including a 4-0 victory at Aston Villa on Saturday - and are now in pole position to seal a top four finish for the first time since the 2018/19 season. They’re also the highest scorers in the Premier League in 2022 with 31 goals.
The Lilywhites are currently three points clear of fifth-placed Arsenal, but their north London rivals do have a game in hand. Next up for Antonio Conte’s in-form side is a home clash with Brighton on Saturday lunchtime.
