Atlético Madrid secured a commanding 5-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie at the Wanda Metropolitano. Spurs conceded four early goals due to defensive errors, including two from debutant goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, who was substituted after 17 minutes. Interim manager Igor Tudor apologized to fans, amid growing pressure on his tenure.
The match began disastrously for Tottenham, who were 4-0 down within 22 minutes. In the sixth minute, Kinsky slipped on his Champions League debut while playing out from the back, allowing Julián Álvarez to square for Marcos Llorente's opener. Defender Micky van de Ven then slipped on a routine pass, enabling Antoine Griezmann to make it 2-0. Kinsky missed a clearance in the 15th minute, gifting Álvarez a tap-in for 3-0.
Tudor substituted Kinsky with Guglielmo Vicario in the 17th minute. Atlético added a fourth in the 22nd minute when Robin Le Normand headed in the rebound from a Griezmann free-kick. Tottenham pulled one back just before halftime through Pedro Porro finishing a cut-back from Richarlison (4-1).
In the second half, Álvarez restored the three-goal lead in the 55th minute with a Griezmann assist. Dominic Solanke scored in the 76th minute after a misplaced pass from Jan Oblak, making it 5-2. Late in stoppage time, Tottenham's Cristian Romero and João Palhinha collided, forcing Spurs to end with ten men.
Post-match, Tudor apologized to TNT Sports: “We apologise to the fans and to everyone. It’s a difficult moment. Everything looks like going wrong.” He reflected on decisions, saying, “No, after you see what happened, it’s the wrong decision. But it was the right decision before,” and vowed to stay focused.
The decision to start Kinsky drew criticism. Former Spurs keeper Paul Robinson called it 'selfish' and 'soul-destroying for Kinsky.' Chief football writer Phil McNulty questioned if Tudor's tenure—now four games old—is already in jeopardy. Atlético, under Diego Simeone, hold a strong knockout record at home and take a significant advantage to the second leg at Tottenham.
