Igor Tudor’s gamble to start Antonin Kinsky over Guglielmo Vicario in Tottenham’s Champions League last-16 tie at Atletico Madrid spectacularly backfired, with Spurs thrashed 5-2 in the first leg.
The 22-year-old was selected in goal at the Estadio Metropolitano instead of the Tottenham No 1, having made just two starts in the Carabao Cup this season.
Tuesday’s game marked his first Champions League start and it could not have gone any worse.
Questions will be asked of Tudor’s team selection, especially as he hooked Kinksy inside 17 minutes with Spurs already 3-0 down after two catastrophic errors from the young goalkeeper.
Tudor failed to acknowledge Kinksy when he was replaced.
The goalkeeper had been at fault for Atletico’s first goal after six minutes when his botched clearance ended with Marcos Llorente slotting home.
Minutes later, another slip allowed Atletico to double their lead. A forward pass from Llorente should have been dealt with by Micky van de Ven but he fell onto the surface. Antoine Griezmann took full advantage and stroked the ball into the back of the net.
Cristian Romero embraces Kinsky as he leaves the pitch
But the calamaties didn’t end there.
Kinsky slipped again as he tried to send the ball out the other side of the box, allowing Alvarez to walk the third goal over the line.
Immediately, Vicario was sent out to warm up and, moments later, he came on to replace his team-mate, who went straight down the tunnel with two staff members in pursuit while Tudor stood motionless on the touchline.
Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario replaced Kinsky in the 17th minute
The Italian stopper’s first job was to push away an Atletico corner – but he could not stop Robin Le Normand nodding home the rebound. Despite Spurs’ best efforts to hook it away, goal-line technology awarded the goal, which was quite clearly over the line.
But despite the calamity in defence, Spurs did look bright going forward, and pulled a goal back soon after for 4-1. It was well-worked too as Richarlison cut into the box, before finding Pedro Porro. His first touch took the ball around his defender, before firing home.
Spurs were lucky to end the first half with 11 men on the pitch. Van de Ven – who was sent off against Crystal Palace last week – flew in on a high challenge on David Hancko. The referee waved away the Atletico claims and VAR did check it for a red card, but nothing was given.
Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez scores their third goal of the game after another mistake by Kinsky
The second half was a quieter affair, but still had its own share of jaw-dropping moments. Twelve seconds after Jan Oblak saved a darting header from Richarlison, Atletico broke at the other end and scored their fifth as Alvarez slotted past Vicario’s outstretched foot.
But even Atletico’s veteran goalkeeper was not immune to an error in an incredible first leg. His own poor back pass went directly to Porro, who sent it on to Dominic Solanke to fire home as Spurs pulled back another goal late on.
Dominic Solanke scored the second goal for Spurs late on
It leaves them with a three-goal deficit to make up at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next Wednesday, sandwiched between a trip to Liverpool this weekend, live on Sky Sports. The Reds lost 1-0 to Galatasaray in their first leg on Tuesday.
More to follow…
Sunday 15th March 4:00pm
Kick off 4:30pm
Story of the match in stats…
When are the knockout stages?
Round of 16 second legs: March 17-18
Quarter-finals: April 7-8 and 14-15
Semi-finals: April 28-29 and May 5-6
Final: May 30 (Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary)
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