Tottenham: Igor Tudor explains Antonin Kinsky decision after bold call backfires | OneFootball

No1 goalkeeper was dropped for Champions League clash

Kinsky was hooked after 17 minutes on his Champions League debut, following a nightmare performance in which he gifted the ball to Julian Alvarez for Marcos Llorente’s opener, before allowing Alvarez to finish into an empty net after a scuffed clearance.

The Argentine’s second put Atletico 3-0 up inside the first quarter of an hour at the Estadio Metropolitano.

Kinsky, the 22-year-old, was quickly replaced by Guglielmo Vicario and consoled en route to the tunnel by a number of Spurs staff and players, including Joao Palhinha, Conor Gallagher and Dominic Solanke.

Tudor had raised eyebrows by deciding to bring Kinsky into the side in place of Vicario, and when questioned, he admitted that he had never before opted to drop his first-choice goalkeeper during his 15-year managerial career.

“It was necessary to preserve the guy, to preserve the team,” he added on his decision to bring Kinsky off shortly after his miscue had allowed Alvarez to score.

“Incredible situation, nothing to comment, you will see. It was, before the game, the right choice to do in the moment like we are.

“Pressure on Vicario, another competition, Toni is a very good goalkeeper. So it was, for me, the right decision. After this, of course, it is easy to say that it was not the right decision.

“I explained to Toni that he is the right guy and a good goalkeeper. Unfortunately, it happened in this big game, these mistakes.

“We started the game, it was too much for us. In this moment, when we are fragile, we are weak. Even the second half it was almost 4-2 with Richarlison. We tried to score a goal [to make it] 4-2, and then we conceded the goal [just seconds after to make it 5-1].”

Captain Romero ran over to talk to Tudor following Atletico’s third goal, appearing to suggest that Kinsky, who apologised to his teammates at half time, should be substituted.

Consolation: Antonin Kinsky and Cristian Romero

AFP via Getty Images

Asked about the conversation, the Spurs boss refuted claims that Romero had decided that Kinsky needed to come off, stating that it was “my decision, of course” when asked who had made the call.

Tudor’s job is under serious pressure, having become the first Spurs manager to lose his first four games in charge.

It is unclear if he will be in the dugout for Sunday’s trip to Liverpool.

The Croat was asked if he was worried about being sacked, but said the focus remained on helping the team and not on his own future after an embarrassing evening in Madrid.

“It is not about my job, it is about how to help the team. It will be always be about that.”