How does a goalkeeper's mind cope with such a humiliating evening? Martin Shejbal, Chrudim's goalkeeping coach who previously worked with Kinsky, tries to answer that in an interview with Flashscore.
The clash between Atletico Madrid and Tottenham was truly unusual. The Spanish side led 3-0 within a quarter of an hour, each goal coming after a mistake by the visitors.
Kinsky first slipped while clearing the ball, then Micky van de Ven lost his balance before the second. The third goal was preceded by another error from the Czech keeper.
And then came a decisive response: after the second major mistake, Spurs manager Igor Tudor took Kinsky off the pitch without hesitation.
"Antonin and I still have a close relationship, and he messaged me in the morning to say he'd be starting. I told my close friends that Tony was making his comeback. And 15 minutes later, it was all over... I felt completely stunned. It was a real sporting tragedy," says Martin Shejbal, who previously coached Antonin Kinsky at Pardubice.
Antonin contacted you before the match. Not afterwards?
"I messaged him during the match, when I saw what had happened. But he hasn't replied yet. I understand that, I'd probably react the same way. I think he'll get in touch again after some time.
"After a moment like that, you just need your own space. But I'm glad to see a wave of solidarity among goalkeepers worldwide. So many true icons have reached out. Peter Schmeichel, Joe Hart, David De Gea - these are men who have something to say about it. That's why I believe Tonda will bounce back soon, especially when he sees these guys standing behind him."
You're a goalkeeping coach yourself. What would you advise the head coach in such a situation?
"It was a rare situation, and even with hindsight, I wouldn't have intervened for an immediate substitution. When a keeper is in goal, he's waiting for every moment to make up for a mistake. Usually, luck swings back his way.
"But even though I say that, I certainly don’t want to join the criticism of the coach that's coming from all sides."
Would you defend Igor Tudor?
"Everyone's criticising Tudor now, saying he's ruined the young keeper's career. But I don't really think that's the case. I don't believe the substitution was aimed specifically at Tonda. The score was 3-0, and you simply need to do something.
"It was a bit like an ice hockey situation. Sometimes you send a player out to start a fight or swap the goalie to shake things up. The match looked lost, but you still want to try to turn it around somehow. He chose this solution. In a way, I understand him."
It seemed he was consulting with centre-back Cristian Romero. On the other hand, he didn't need the opinion of the assistant coach, the goalkeeping specialist, at all...
"I get that too. If you're on the bench, you need contact with the people on the pitch. The goalkeeping coach isn't such a key figure at that moment. You have very little time to react and solve the situation. So I can imagine the coach calling over the central defender and asking: 'Can we handle this? Do we have what it takes?'
"At that moment, the most important person was the captain on the pitch, and he had to give the coach his opinion."
Kinsky’s mistakes weren’t the only errors - several Spurs players slipped. Do you think they had the wrong boots?
"Nowadays, pitches are prepared very differently and choosing boots is almost like waxing skis. In the past, the ground was either soft or hard, but now there are many surfaces that are soft on top yet don't grip well, so you can slip even with studs.
"I told Tonda that five players slipped before him and another 10 after. But unfortunately, he's the last line, so his mistakes were fatal. For the first goal, he slid right through - it wasn't just a slip. The pitch was really very specific. But it was clear Atletico were used to their own turf."
How will Kinsky react? How strong is his mentality and psyche?
"He was definitely broken after the match - you could see it as he left the pitch - but otherwise, I think he's mentally very strong. I've worked with a range of goalkeepers in Czech football, and he always radiated confidence.
"Even though he took a knock in Madrid, I believe it won't threaten his career. It's all about the mind, and his is strong. He's also surrounded by great people who will help him. He needs to talk to someone, and I think his dad won’t just approach it as a father, but will speak to him as a former top goalkeeper.
"I believe they'll get through it together."
Is there anything positive to take from this moment?
"A minute after the substitution, it's already history. It stays with you, but it won't come back - you just have to bounce back from it.
"For me, the most positive thing was how the lads went to support him in the dressing room. They simply went to back up their teammate. Every setback has its upside. And the positive energy that came from that reaction was fantastic."
Still, would it benefit Kinsky to move elsewhere?
"Tonda and I discussed this question in the winter. We talked about a possible loan, because he wasn't playing at all and had lost match sharpness. He didn't have an agent at the time. I think he left Sport Invest last September.
"But then Thomas Frank arrived, who wanted two equally strong goalkeepers and rated Tonda's quality quite highly, so in the end he didn't want to let him go."
But now the situation is different…
"It's all about chemistry and energy, how the team suits the goalkeeper. From my point of view, the situation will be very tough for Kinsky, even if he starts playing. Tonda has been brought back into the team after a long break twice, and neither time did it work out.
"It's harder in England because the fans are unforgiving and the most critical. Also, I think Tottenham currently have one of the worst defences in the English league. The mistakes their defenders make and the way they defend would make it hard for any goalkeeper to get going.
"So in my opinion, a loan would be beneficial, and it wouldn't necessarily have to be in the English league."