Tottenham coach reaches out to Kinsky after Tudor’s brutal decision | Football | Sport

Tottenham Hotspur’s goalkeeping coach, Fabian Otte, has offered words of support to Antoin Kinsky following the Spurs goalie’s early substitution against Atletico Madrid. Kinsky experienced the humiliation of being taken off early in the first half of Tuesday’s 5-2 drubbing in Spain.

The 22-year-old replaced Guglielmo Vicario in an attempt to secure a regular place in Igor Tudor’s squad. However, the Czech goalkeeper had a nightmarish performance in the Champions League, making several errors that saw Tottenham go 3-0 down within the opening 15 minutes.

Kinsky appeared devastated as he trudged down the tunnel after being substituted for Vicario, with no recognition from Tudor. Many are now questioning the young star’s future in north London following his public embarrassment at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.

In an Instagram post following the match in Madrid, Otte attempted to lift Kinsky’s spirits. He said: “Everything negative – pressure, challenges – is all an opportunity for me to rise,” referencing a quote from former basketball player Kobe Bryant.

He added: “Big things to come, my friend!!” After the match, Tudor tried to justify his unusual decision, asserting that he had to make the call ‘to preserve the team’.

The 47-year-old said: “It happened very rarely in my coaching 15 years, I never do that. It was necessary to preserve the guy, to preserve the team. 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 I 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, also speaking after, 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 was 4-2, it was almost 4-2 with Richarlison. We tried to score a goal in 4-2 and then we conceded the goal.”

Tottenham will now shift their focus back to their Premier League survival fight as they head to Liverpool on Sunday.

Spurs currently hover just one point above the relegation zone with nine matches remaining.