Tottenham drop Vicario for Atletico as tottenham start Kinsky — swift first-half change follows
tottenham made a shock goalkeeper call tonight in Madrid, as interim head coach Igor Tudor started 22-year-old Antonin Kinsky over No 1 Guglielmo Vicario in a Champions League last-16 tie at the Estadio Metropolitano. At 3: 30 pm ET, Kinsky had been withdrawn after three early concessions, with Vicario brought on. The move follows a bruising domestic run and scrutiny of Vicario’s distribution that prompted a complaint by Tottenham Hotspur to the Premier League after a mocking social media post was later removed.
Tottenham selection shock and swift reversal
The club had not confirmed its starting XI before kickoff, but the decision became clear when Kinsky took the field for the first whistle. The initial gamble did not last long; the change to reintroduce Vicario arrived after the hosts seized quick control, underlining the razor-thin margin Tudor is navigating in knockout football.
Before tonight, Vicario had begun all three matches under Tudor, with the new head coach opening his tenure with defeats to Arsenal, Fulham and Crystal Palace, and nine goals conceded in those games. In the latest league outing against Palace, Vicario shipped three, and his kicking was again erratic — an ongoing talking point after the club’s complaint to the Premier League about a now-removed post that mocked his distribution in the Fulham defeat. That mid-season slide has left tottenham conceding at least two goals in each of their last nine Premier League matches.
Kinsky’s elevation comes despite limited minutes this season. He had not featured in a competitive match since the League Cup, with his only two appearances this campaign coming in that competition — against Newcastle United and in a 3-0 win over Doncaster. The 22-year-old, signed from Slavia Prague last January, made 10 appearances over the second half of last season and has waited patiently for another opening at senior level.
What Tudor said, and the stakes now
Speaking before kickoff, Igor Tudor kept his reasoning tight and matter-of-fact. The interim head coach said: “I chose today what I think is best for team in this moment. Today, there are five changes, but the game is long. There is space for everyone. ”
That stance framed the bold goalkeeping switch as part of a wider shuffle rather than a definitive judgment on the long-term pecking order. Vicario, signed from Empoli in June 2023 for an initial £17. 2m and already past the 100-appearance mark for the club, remains a high-profile figure in the squad. Yet the immediate, in-game reversal in Madrid underscores how fluid Tudor’s evaluation is amid a packed schedule and knockout jeopardy.
Quick context
Spurs’ Champions League campaign has provided rare relief in a challenging calendar year, with wins in the league phase over Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt aiding automatic progression to the last 16. Tonight’s opponents, Atletico Madrid, advanced through a playoff round against Club Brugge to reach this stage.
What’s next
All eyes turn to Tudor’s next selection and how he balances stability with form as the tie develops and domestic fixtures resume. The decision-making lens now zooms in on training-ground performances, match rhythm and dressing-room confidence, as the head coach weighs whether to persist with rotation or re-establish a clear No 1 — a call that will shape not just the remainder of this tie but the weeks ahead for tottenham.
