In the city home to Pablo Picasso’s Guernica, Tottenham created their own surrealist masterpiece during a distressing event. The surprise wasn’t in their 5-2 loss to Atletico Madrid—a result that could have been worse—but in how the defeat unfolded, particularly with four goals carelessly handed to Diego Simeone’s team, culminating in the spectacle of a distraught goalkeeper being replaced in just the 17th minute.
Sadly, it’s safe to say that Antonin Kinsky’s memories of Madrid won’t include the Plaza Mayor. Nevertheless, despite his rough night, Kinsky’s manager, came out of it looking even worse.
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Mary I, a Tudor and Queen of Spain, might offer some historical irony as Igor Tudor faced this as confirmation that his brief and tumultuous reign at Tottenham will soon come to an end. While he may find a reputation in Italy, it seems unlikely he will salvage one in England. Kinsky is now tasked with rebuilding his career, while Tudor’s prospects in the Premier League look bleak.
Igor Tudor has proven himself to be hopeless and unlucky (PA)
Tudor thrust Kinsky into the biggest match of his career, which ended with three goals and two glaring errors leading to public humiliation and neglect. Tottenham players have been criticized for lacking character, yet they showed some empathy towards Kinsky, who was blanked by Tudor while teammates like Cristian Romero, Kevin Danso, and Pedro Porro offered support during his exit, while others—including Joao Palhinha, Dominic Solanke, and Conor Gallagher—quickly retreated to the dressing room.
This perceived pragmatism by Tudor resonated as a deficiency in leadership and a cruel treatment of a young player at the mercy of an uncertain manager.
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Former goalkeepers like Joe Hart, Paul Robinson, and Peter Schmeichel delivered the harshest critiques, demonstrating an understanding of the position’s pressures. The true support came from teammates who had known Kinsky longer than Tudor, who was still a stranger just four weeks ago.
Spurs goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky endured a disastrous evening (PA)
Moreover, critics had questioned Tudor’s interim appointment—not from a nationalistic standpoint, but from an understanding that a short-term fix required someone capable of immediate positive impact. In four matches, Tudor has consistently selected the wrong team, leading to 14 goals conceded and worsening an already troubling situation to one that could spiral into disaster.
It’s evident that he lacks rapport with his players; when Djed Spence was substituted, he insisted on returning to Tudor to force a handshake, making a salient point.
Kinsky was consoled by teammates upon his early substitution but ignored by Tudor (AFP/Getty)
Tudor’s Tottenham is a result of poor choices—his own, those of his players, and the hierarchy above. Many involved are miscast in their roles, extending beyond the Croatian in the dugout. Tudor’s tactical decisions have been puzzling, such as misplacing Porro as a right-sided center-back against Crystal Palace, and opting for players like Xavi Simons and Gallagher, each naturally central, in wide positions in a flat 4-4-2 against Fulham, while his marquee signings remained on the bench in Madrid.
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Tudor has managed to epitomize both ineptitude and misfortune. “It seems like everything is against us,” he lamented post-match as Tottenham’s propensity for self-sabotage was illustrated when Palhinha and Romero collided in injury time, leaving both potentially concussed ahead of Sunday’s match at Anfield, especially since Micky van de Ven is already suspended.
Conor Gallagher has been sitting on the bench and playing out of position lately (AP)
This marks a trend; the 22-minute debacle at the start of the Metropolitano was arguably Tottenham’s worst moment in just one game, following a meek show where they conceded three to a diminished Palace side. This wasn’t an isolated incident.
While Tudor stands as the figurehead for failure, as Spurs approach their longest winless league streak in 50 years—with six losses in a row for the first time in their history—the responsibility is widespread. Fans who jeered Guglielmo Vicario earlier this season may want to reconsider their actions; Kinsky has unfortunately proven to be more fallible.
Tudor appears to have lost control at Spurs (Getty)
Then there’s Fabio Paratici, the sporting director now with Fiorentina, whose parting gift seemed to be recommending Tudor. Daniel Levy may have set the stage for Spurs’s decline, and they may long for the more decisive leadership of the previous chair.
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For chief executive Vinai Venkatesham, sporting director Johan Lange, non-executive chair Peter Charrington, and the Lewis family—who seemed paralyzed as Thomas Frank’s tenure unravelled into the crisis with Tudor—the next steps are crucial.
After Tudor poorly placed Kinsky in a role he ill-equipped for, it might serve poetic justice to see him remain for the Liverpool match and the return leg against Atletico before appointing someone who can genuinely steer them to safety.
Tudor, who donned club merchandise during the Metropolitano match, may find his apparel included in a severance package, as he never seemed the right fit for the managerial position at Tottenham.