Every word Igor Tudor said on taking off Antonin Kinsky, his Tottenham future and Romero fears

Here’s every single word the interim Tottenham Hotspur head coach said after the Champions League horror show at Atletico Madrid

Igor Tudor during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg between Atletico Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur

Igor Tudor had to explain his decision to select Antonin Kinsky and then haul him off just 16 minutes after a remarkable double gaffe in Tottenham’s 5-2 defeat at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last 16.

Tudor had brought the 22-year-old in for Guglielmo Vicario but the young Czech keeper gifted Atletico their opener inside the Metropolitano just six minutes in. Kinsky slipped onto his backside on the rain-hit turf as he went to pass the ball and ended up hitting it straight to Ademola Lookman on the edge of the box. He passed inside to Julian Alvarez and the former Manchester City man teed up Marcos Llorente to score.

Spurs players were slipping all over the sodden grass and Micky van de Ven was next to go over on 14 minutes. The Dutchman tumbled to the deck to allow Pape Matar Sarr’s pass to roll through to Antoine Griezmann and the experienced Frenchman ran through to beat Kinsky with ease.

While those two goals could be chalked up to slips, the third two minutes later was simply a horrendous gaffe from Kinsky. He scuffed a simple pass in his box just a yard in front of him to Alvarez, who ran on and poked the ball into the empty net.

Tudor had seen enough and called for Vicario to replace his replacement. Things got worse after 22 minutes. Vicario made a reflex save to stop Sarr’s header flying into his own net from a Griezmann free-kick, but Robin Le Normand headed the loose ball over the line.

Spurs did hit one goal back four minutes later as Richarlison cut inside and found Pedro Porro, who struck a low shot into the bottom left corner.

However, Atletico got a fifth goal just 10 minutes into the second half. Richarlison saw his header saved brilliantly at one end by Jan Oblak only for the hosts to break up the pitch with Alvarez running through, Porro unable to keep up, and the attacker slotted home clinically.

Dominic Solanke did hit another back for Spurs with a powerful effort after Oblak hit his own poor kick straight to Porro and the right-back found the striker to smash home.

Spurs ended the game with nine men on the pitch after Joao Palhinha and Cristian Romero both had to go off following a clash of heads in added time. Both men could miss Sunday’s trip to Liverpool and more crucial games if they are found to have concussion.

The final whistle blew soon after, marking the first time Tottenham have suffered six consecutive defeats in their entire history.

Here’s every word Tudor said in his press conference about the chaotic encounter in Spain.

Can you explain what happened with the two goalkeepers, the first decision to drop Vicario and then the second one to take off Kinsky?

It happened very rare things 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.

Are you worried about your job?

It is not a topic for me. It is not about my job, it is about how to help the team. It will be always be about that.

Cristian Romero came over to you before Kinsky was taken off, did he ask for him to come off or was it your decision?

My decision, of course.

Do you feel this is becoming an impossible job for you?

I am not taking it that way. I recognise what we are and which problems we have. I recognise that every game, something happens. Sometimes it is very difficult to explain. I see also the wish of the players to do the right things. We started good, let’s say. These two or three minutes, I feel it during the game. These things, when they happen, what I said before, in the moment where we are now, unfortunately, it is like that. Even these slippery things happen, it explains the moment, because they didn’t do it. The pitch was the same for both teams.

I know you said your future is not a topic for you, but obviously it has been a very difficult start to your time at Tottenham. You have lost all four games, do you think you deserve to carry on as a manager?

No comment.

Romero and Palhinha, at the end, are they both concussed after that collision?

Also, an example of the moment. It is incredible. It is incredible. We finished the game and we see the two players and there is Micky [Van de Ven], who is out with a red card. Sometimes it is difficult to explain. It looks like everything is against us. Incredible things.

So you are expecting both of them now to be out?

I don’t know. We will see. I don’t know.

How was Kinsky in the locker room when he was substituted, was he emotional?

He was sorry. He made an excuse for the team. The team is with him. Me too. I was speaking with him. He understands the moment. He understands why he came out. So, as I said before, he is a very good goalkeeper. We are all together. It is not about one player. So, it has happened. Champions League again. These things.

Where do you go from here, you play Liverpool on Sunday, what do you do from now?

I try to do my best, what a coach needs to do.