Kinsky thankful for support after 'nightmare'

Antonin Kinsky has thanked those who have sent him messages of support on social media after a "nightmare" display in Tottenham Hotspur's Champions League defeat at Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

The Czech goalkeeper was substituted after 17 minutes with Spurs trailing 3-0 in the Spanish capital, having made errors which led to Atletico's first and third goals.

The Premier League side went on to lose the first leg of their last-16 tie 5-2.

Kinsky posted on his Instagram story: "Thanks for the messages. From dream to nightmare to dream again. See you."

The 22-year-old was consoled by several team-mates as he made his way off the field.

Spurs manager Igor Tudor, who had selected him to start ahead of Guglielmo Vicario, did not acknowledge Kinsky at the time but said in his post-match media conference that he had spoken with his goalkeeper afterwards.

The former Croatia international said of the substitution: "It was necessary to preserve the guy and preserve the team.

"It was, before the game, the right choice to do in the moment we are [in] - pressure on Vicario, another competition and Toni is a very good goalkeeper.

"So it was, for me, the right decision. After, it's easy to say it was not the right decision.

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

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live about the early substitution, former England goalkeeper David James said: "The whole situation was very bizarre.

"Had Igor Tudor known Antonin Kinsky for a longer period of time, then you think he would understand him and empathise with him in some way.

"At 3-0 down after 16 minutes, Tudor was thinking about his future, which naturally you would. But without that relationship between them, he was thinking more about self-preservation.

"If Kinsky has stayed on the field and Tottenham lost 7-0, that would have been a career-wrecker. As much as it will have hurt this morning, Kinsky will think better of it in the longer term."