Igor Tudor gives baffling defence of Antonin Kinsky selection after horrific 15-minute blitz in Tottenham's defeat to Atletico Madrid

The decision to rotate the squad while Tottenham sit just one point above the Premier League relegation zone has left fans and pundits stunned. Kinsky was making only his second start of the season in place of Guglielmo Vicario. He slipped to concede the opener before another mishap saw him kick the ball against his own leg to hand Julian Alvarez an open goal for the third. These mistakes left Tottenham 3-0 down within 15 minutes. Kinsky was left distraught as he walked off the pitch, followed by team-mates Connor Gallagher and Dominic Solanke, who attempted to offer support.

Despite the humiliation, Tudor remarkably doubled down on his pre-match tactical setup, insisting that dropping the under-fire Vicario for such a high-stakes European clash was the correct move at the time. “What happened is very rare. I’ve been coaching for 15 years, I’ve never done this. It was necessary to preserve the guy, preserve the team. Incredible situation, nothing to comment,” Tudor stated. “It was, before the game, the right choice to do in the moment like we are, with the pressure on Vicario, another competition. Tony is a very good goalkeeper. It was the right decision for me. 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."

Tudor’s decision to hook Kinsky so early came after visible frustration from senior players, with Cristian Romero reportedly appearing to signal to the bench that a change was needed immediately after the third goal. However, the coach maintained it was his call: "It was too much for us in this moment when we are fragile, when we are weak. I recognise what we are and which problems we have. I recognise 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]."

To make matters worse for Spurs, a collision between Joao Palhinha and Romero in the dying embers of the game has left both players in doubt for the vital upcoming Premier League clash with Liverpool. When asked about their availability for Sunday, Tudor remained vague, suggesting that the bad luck currently following the club is almost beyond comprehension for the coaching staff.

“I don’t know, we are going to see. It is also an example of the moment. It’s incredible.” Tudor concluded.