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Dominic Solanke restores Tottenham Hotspur belief after Jan Oblak mistake in unforgettable UEFA Champions League last-16 tie at Atletico Madrid

Dominic Solanke restores belief for Tottenham Hotspur after a Jan Oblak mistake in an unforgettable UEFA Champions League last-16 tie at Atletico Madrid. Watch live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

Julian Alvarez scored just 12 seconds after a "magnificent" Jan Oblak save and a wild Antoine Griezmann touch in Atletico Madrid's wild clash with Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Champions League.

TNT Sports

Atletico Madrid were just three minutes short of breaking a Champions League record when they raced into a 4-0 lead over Tottenham Hotspur in the round of 16 on Tuesday night at the Metropolitano stadium. For Igor Tudor, it was not just the scoreline that was the problem but the way in which his side allowed the Spaniards to take advantage of some striking defensive errors.

Atletico Madrid raced into a 4-1 lead over Tottenham Hotspur as they blitzed the Premier League side who were hampered by a string of errors.

Chaos continued for Spurs as they travelled to Spain for what they would have hoped could be a chance to build momentum and take a break from their Premier League travails.

There is already talk of a third manager to come after Igor Tudor replaced Thomas Frank in the hotseat, and events at the Metropolitano only seem to make that more likely.

Spurs were 4-0 down after just 22 minutes, the second quickest a side has conceded that margin in Champions League history.

Here is how it happened.

Kinsky, making his debut, attempted to play the ball out from the back - as is the modern fashion - but haplessly and unfortunately lost possession immediately to the opposition.

The ball was shifted right to Julian Alvarez, who smartly found Marcos Llorente and he coolly slotted past the out-of-position debutant.

Eight minutes later, defensive frailty and an individual error struck again. Micky van de Ven, so often a lynchpin at the back for Tottenham, slipped and let the ball run across him, allowing Antoine Griezmann to power through.

He eyed up and then calmly slotted the ball past Kinsky, whose match was going from bad to worse in short order.

Less than two minutes later, Kinsky’s nightmare start got almost unfathomably worse when the ball was rolled back to him and all that was required was for the young stopper to roll the ball on its way or for him to put his foot through it and clear the danger.

Instead, he scarcely collected and Alvarez pounced and rolled the ball into an empty net. Igor Tudor’s place in the dugout started to look imperilled as the team seemed to be imploding even quicker than they had been recently.

Kinsky was then replaced and Guglielmo Vicario was introduced in his place to steady the nerves. The Italian has come in for criticism for his own performances lately and head coach Tudor moved to take off the Czech youngster, perhaps to protect him as much as to give his side a better foundation at the back.

The action did not stop there. Six minutes after the third goal, Alvarez won a free kick, which Griezmann took. While Vicario smartly beat away the initial effort, Robert Le Normand was on hand to bundle the ball in to leave Spurs 4-0 down after just 22 minutes.

The scoring had not finished, though, and Pedro Porro - one of Spurs’ brightest performers in recent seasons despite their on-pitch struggles - pulled away from his marker in the box and fired home a low shot.

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While the rest of the half was much less eventful, with neither team adding to their tally, the second half - and the second leg - was promising yet more entertainment.

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TNT Sports expert and former England goalkeeper Joe Hart was left "heartbroken" after Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky was substituted after 16 minutes during the first leg of his side's UEFA Champions League last-16 tie against Atletico Madrid. In the commentary box, Darren Fletcher and Ally McCoist were stunned by the developments as Atletico were gifted three early goals.

Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky was substituted in the 16th minute after an "absolutely horrific" display which left TNT Sports commentator Darren Fletcher questioning head coach Igor Tudor.

The first of a series of errors came just after five minutes, when Kinsky - making his UEFA Champions League debut in the first leg of his side's last-16 clash against Atletico Madrid - slipped and passed the ball straight into the feet of Ademola Lookman, who played the ball to Julian Alvaraz before Marcos Llorente was teed up to fire home.

Antoine Griezmann then profited from Micky van de Ven's slip to tuck home Atletico's second. And if the evening had not already unravelled for Spurs, the following moments were simply catastrophic.

Just a minute after Atletico doubled their lead, they had a third, and it was again the consequence of Kinsky's slippery feet. Attempting a left-footed pass to Kevin Danso, he got little contact on the ball before going to the ground, teeing up Alvarez to tap into an empty net.

Immediately after going 3-0 down, Tudor prepared Guglielmo Vicario from the bench - opting to call an early end to Kinsky's European debut for Spurs. Tudor stood stoic on the touchline as Kinsky walked down the tunnel - not acknowledging his goalkeeper - who was supported by a member of the backroom team.

Having not played for Spurs since the 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup last 16, Fletcher was baffled by Tudor's selection between the sticks on a pivotal evening at the Metropolitano.

He said on commentary: "What's happening here? Kinsky is all over the place. Spurs three down in 15 minutes. They're getting Vicario ready down below us already. Tudor made the decision, he's going to change it. Kinsky seemingly can't handle it. Spurs can't handle it, and Atletico Madrid are three up. This is embarrassing.

"If he's going to take him off after 16 minutes, you are finished at the club as a goalkeeper. You can't come back from this if you're Kinsky. He's made the decision to start him, you can't then drag him at this stage can you? He's about to!

"By the way, that's on the manager, as much as it's on Kinsky. I feel for him."

Ally McCoist, next to Fletcher in the commentary booth, added: "I can't believe I'm watching this. He tries to play it, it's not even a good ball. He has to go long, he's got to put it behind the right full-back or something. It's horrific goalkeeping, absolutely horrific goalkeeping. Completely misses it with his left foot.

"You can make the argument he [Tudor] has to do it [substitute Kinsky] because he cannot make mistakes like that. They're schoolboy errors. He's made a mistake, changing the goalkeeper. That's an absolutely remarkable 14 minutes."

Fletcher remarked the last time he saw a goalkeeping performance so damaging was Loris Karius for Liverpool in the 2018 Champions League final, when he was at fault for two of the goals in defeat to Real Madrid.

"He went through a spell where everything went wrong, and that affected him for a long time. I actually can't believe what I've seen," Fletcher said.

Former England goalkeeper and TNT Sports expert Joe Hart extended his sympathy to Kinsky, and was equally bewildered by the events unfolding before him.

"I've been trying to make sense of it, and my overall feeling is, my heart is absolutely broken for the lad," Hart said. "I know it's a tough school, it's the Champions League, it's such an important game.

"I said it before the game, he had an opportunity to give us the reason why he put him in goal. Was he getting an opportunity tonight? Was he just filling the gloves for one game? Who knows?

"I'm not making excuses for the lad, he had a horrible [start]. A slip and that third goal was just everything he didn't want to happen. I don't even know what to say. I've seen the lot, I'm just heartbroken for the lad. This Tottenham team is all over the shop at the moment."

Robin Le Normand extended Atletico's lead to four when he headed home on 22 minutes, before Pedro Porro struck to reduce the deficit four minutes later.

In the TNT Sports studio at half-time, TNT Sports experts Hart and Steve McManaman were left appalled by what they felt was poor man management by Spurs boss Tudor in failing to acknowledge the substituted Kinsky.

"You see Tudor doesn't even acknowledge his goalie," Hart said. "Does not even acknowledge him. If that's man management, I'm flabbergasted."

He added: "He's acted like that's not the 14th minute, and that doesn't happen at any level, I'm talking Sunday league. This is the Champions League.

"Yes he's had a bad moment. Has he done it on purpose? Course he hasn't. Stand by your team, send a message. No, stands there, pretends it's not happening, and moves on."

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McManaman added: "That's man management at its very, very worst. There's a gentleman behind, in black, he goes over and hugs him, two or three players hug him.

"That poor goalkeeper has had a terrible night after being chosen by his own manager, and for his manager has not even acknowledged him, go over and say sorry, don't worry about it, put his arm around him, do something to affect the situation. That is cold as cold can be. Ruthless."

Former Manchester United goalkeeper defended Kinsky on social media, posting on X: "No one who hasn't been a goalkeeper can understand how difficult it is to play in this position. Keep your head up and you will go again."

Alvaraz netted his second of the evening to stretch Atletico's lead to 5-1 on 55 minutes.

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