Tottenham: Antonin Kinsky subbed inside 17 MINUTES after nightmare Champions League debut

In partnership with

Evening Standard

·10 March 2026

Tottenham: Antonin Kinsky subbed inside 17 MINUTES after nightmare Champions League debut

Igor Tudor had made bold call to drop No1 goalkeeper against Atletico Madrid

Antonin Kinsky endured a nightmare Champions League debut, finding himself hooked in the 17th-minute as Tottenham conceded three goals inside a quarter of an hour away to Atletico Madrid.

OneFootball Videos

The Czech Republic international had come into the side for first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario as one of four changes made by Igor Tudor.

It was a bold call from the Spurs boss and one that backfired in spectacular fashion as Kinsky gifted Atletico two goals before being substituted after just 17 minutes as Tudor’s side capitulated at the Metropolitano.

Kinsky’s first mistake saw him slip as he looked to launch the ball to Pedro Porro on the right wing, gifting the ball to Atleti forward Julian Alvarez, who squared for Marcos Llorente to give the hosts the lead inside six minutes.

Then, moments after centre-back Micky van de Ven had himself slipped to allow Antoine Griezmann to double Atletico’s lead, Kinsky let the ball roll past him as he swiped and ultimately missed it, with Alvarez capitalising to finish into an empty net.

Gift gobbled up: Julian Alvarez

Getty Images

It was nothing short of a nightmare start for Spurs and Kinsky, and Vicario quickly took the 22-year-old’s place, with a number of staff and players accompanying the former Slavia Prague man straight down the tunnel.

Team-mates including captain Cristian Romero were also seen appearing to attempt to comfort the young goalkeeper.

Painful: Antonin Kinsky

AFP via Getty Images

Atletico scored again shortly after Kinsky’s withdrawal, as Robin Le Normand headed home, before Pedro Porro netted to make it 4-1 and to Diego Simeone’s side in a chaotic first-half.