Tottenham coach Igor Tudor defended his decision to substitute goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky early after a difficult start in Tottenham’s 5-2 Champions League defeat to Atlético Madrid.
Igor Tudor has defended his decision to substitute goalkeeper Antonín Kinský early during Tottenham Hotspur’s 5-2 defeat to Atlético Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie.
These angles of Kinsky errors are NUTS😭pic.twitter.com/AeBmC9GMg9
— Dex (@DexxterUtd) March 10, 2026
The Croatian coach replaced the 22-year-old in the 17th minute after a disastrous start in which Tottenham conceded three goals inside the opening 15 minutes at the Metropolitano Stadium.
Kinský’s difficult evening began when he slipped while attempting to clear the ball, which helped lead to Atlético’s opening goal. His troubles worsened shortly afterwards when he miskicked another clearance, gifting possession to the opposition and resulting in a third goal.
Following the substitution, regular goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario came on to replace him. Tudor explained that the decision was made not only for tactical reasons but also to protect the young goalkeeper during a difficult moment.
“I’ve been coaching for 15 years, I never do it like this. It was necessary to preserve the guy, preserve the team.”
Tottenham head coach Igor Tudor explains his reasoning behind substituting Antonín Kinský pic.twitter.com/KoX3i6Q0tJ
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 11, 2026
The Tottenham manager admitted that the team is currently going through a fragile period. Since taking charge of the club following his departure from Juventus, Tudor has endured a challenging start with several defeats.
Meanwhile, Atlético Madrid striker Julián Álvarez, who scored twice in the match, said his side successfully capitalised on Tottenham’s mistakes by applying aggressive pressing throughout the game.
Despite Atlético’s strong position heading into the second leg, Álvarez insisted the tie is not yet over. The Spanish side, coached by Diego Simeone, will travel to London next week aiming to secure their place in the Champions League quarter-finals.
