Igor Tudor’s Antonin Kinsky ‘Humiliation’ Set to Have Dramatic Repercussions

Tottenham set an unwanted all-time club record on a night for everyone to forget.

Igor Tudor (left) humiliated Antonin Kinsky on Tuesday night. | Dennis Agyeman/Europa Press/Ricardo Nogueira/Sports Press Photo/Getty Images

After getting hooked in the first half of Tottenham Hotspur’s humbling 5–2 Champions League defeat to Atlético Madrid on Tuesday night, a “humiliated” Antonin Kinsky is reportedly expected to go in search of a summer exit.

Igor Tudor took the surprise decision to promote Kinsky to the starting XI for Tuesday’s Champions League last 16 tie in Madrid after a difficult spell from regular No. 1 Guglielmo Vicario. It lasted 17 minutes.

That was enough time for Kinsky to gift Atlético two goals, presenting Julián Alvarez with the ball twice in the opening 15 minutes. In between Micky van de Ven also lost his footing, tumbling to the uncertain turf to usher Antoine Griezmann through on goal.

Trailing 3–0 inside the opening quarter of an hour Tudor had seen enough. A Champions League debut to forget had barely begun by the time Kinsky was replaced by Vicario. The interim manager didn’t even bother to acknowledge his belittled goalkeeper, who is set to push for a loan move away from Spurs this summer, according to The Telegraph.

A night to forget for Antonin Kinsky.

2 errors leading to goals and subbed off after 16 minutes. pic.twitter.com/gYiIhPRglc

— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) March 10, 2026

Kinsky has supposedly been pushing for a loan exit in each of the previous two transfer windows without any success. The 22-year-old only joined Spurs from Slavia Praha in January 2025 as emergency cover for an injured Vicario, impressing with his much improved distribution (which unfortunately deserted him on Tuesday).

The ambitious Czech goalkeeper was swiftly dropped once Vicario reduced to full fitness and has been limited to snatched domestic cup appearances. The Telegraph’s report questions whether Kinsky will ever be in position to make another appearance for Spurs after his hellscape of an evening.

Kinsky’s Spurs teammates are thought to “shocked” by Tudor’s decision. The Croatian coach’s explanation will have allayed few concerns.

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Tudor’s Frail Defense of Kinsky Decision

Antonin Kinsky (center) was blanked by Igor Tudor. | Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto/Getty Images

“It was, before the game, the right choice to do in the moment like we are, with the pressure on Vicario, another competition,” Tudor insisted.

“Tony is a very good goalkeeper. It was for me the right decision. After this, of course, it’s easy to say that it was not the right decision. So I explained to Tony also, speaking after: he’s the right guy and a good goalkeeper.

“Unfortunately, it happened in this big game, these mistakes. He was sorry. The team is with him, me too. I was speaking with him. He understands the moment, he understands why he goes out. As I said, he’s a very good goalkeeper. We are with him, we are all together. It’s never about one player. It’s happened. It’s the Champions League again. We paid [for] this start of the game.”

Vicario conceded two goals himself as Spurs were ultimately condemned to a 5–2 defeat, the club’s sixth in succession. Never before in the 143-year history of Tottenham Hotspur have they ever lost half a dozen games on the spin.

“It was too much for us in this moment when we are fragile, when we are weak,” Tudor lamented. “I recognize what we are and which problems we have. I recognize that every game something happens. Sometimes it’s very difficult to explain. When these things happen, in the moment where we are now, unfortunately, it’s like that. Even these slippery things happen, it explains the moment [we are in].”

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Tudor Attacked From All Corners

Antoine Griezmann saved his sympathy for after the final whistle. | Manu Reino/DeFodi Images/Getty Images

Griezmann showed little remorse during a devastating individual display for Atlético but offered some consolation after the final whistle.

“I think it’s a shame,” the French forward told Canal+. “If the coach—the current one or another—starts with that goalkeeper, you have to see it through. Mentally, it must be very tough for the goalkeeper. It wasn’t the best solution.”

The reaction from the global goalkeeper union was even more vociferous.

Former Manchester United and Spain shot-stopper David de Gea posted his support for Kinsky at halftime, lamenting the unique difficulties experienced by a player in his position. Tudor, it should be noted, was an uncompromising center back during his playing career.

No one who hasn't been a goalkeeper can understand how difficult it is to play in this position.

Keep your head up and you will go again.

— David de Gea (@D_DeGea) March 10, 2026

Joe Hart, once of Tottenham himself, vented on TNT Sports: “[He had] a couple of bad moments, but to rip him off in this situation and not even acknowledge the guy? Every single one of Tottenham’s players who are feeling the pain don’t know what to do. How is that good for him?

“It is a thing with keepers, you have got to accept you will have nights like that. Everyone has them. [Gianluigi] Buffon, [Manuel] Neuer, [Peter] Schmeichel ... they have had moments, but everything that has gone on on top of it, he will feel so unwelcomed as far as the management is involved.

“You have to be treated like a human, just a little bit. I understand the situation. This needs getting a serious grip of. Madness happens all the time in football. That was mad, maybe he didn’t handle it how he should have.

“I saw the whole bench’s hearts drop. They are saying, ‘Don’t worry we are here for you.’ It’s the human side of things. If you aren’t willing to show it, that’s when it starts to divide.”

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