Tottenham goalkeeper Antonin Kinski has been flooded with messages of support after being substituted just 17 minutes into Tuesday night’s 5-2 defeat to Atletico Madrid.
Tottenham keeper Antonin Kinski receives a message of support after being sent off in the 17th minute against Atletico Madrid (Image: PA)
David de Gea has shared a touching message of support for Antonin Kinski after Tottenham’s young goalkeeper was brutally substituted after just 17 minutes against Atletico Madrid.
Kinski, 22, has spent most of his time at Spurs as Guglielmo Vicario’s number two, but was confirmed to start in the crucial Champions League round of 16 match in Madrid on Tuesday night. Unfortunately for the Czech Republic youth international and Tottenham, things could hardly have gone worse during his short time on the pitch.
He was responsible for two goals as Spurs were 3-0 down within 15 minutes and looked devastated when Igor Tudor sent him off minutes later.
Tudor’s harsh treatment of the young keeper has been heavily criticized by fans and pundits alike, and De Gea, who has made more than 400 Premier League appearances, spoke out in support of Kinski on X.
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The former Manchester United keeper posted: “People who have never been a goalkeeper will never understand how difficult it is to play in this position. Just keep your head up and you’ll do it again.”
Kinski was consoled by some of his teammates as he trudged to the touchline, but Tudor didn’t even acknowledge the goalkeeper after leaving the pitch.
An enraged Joe Hart then slammed the Croatian player for ignoring Kinski, telling TNT Sports: “To sign for Spurs and get to this level, one mistake doesn’t change you. It’s a technical error, but what happened before that… Was it the right decision? Maybe it was the right decision. But what I saw after that…
Igor Tudor did not recognize Kinski as he left the pitch (Image: 2026 Getty Images)
“I hate to be passive because I want to know all the facts, but the fact that they took him out in that situation that he played in… he’s 22 years old, he’s young, he’s not a man and he hasn’t done anything to try to hurt Spurs.
“(He) has had some bad moments, but to take him away in this situation and not acknowledge the player? All the Tottenham players are in pain and don’t know what to do. How is that good for him?”
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