Di Canio: Tudor might ‘pay’ for Vicario-Kinský decision, hints at new Tottenham coach

Former Italian striker Paolo Di Canio says Igor Tudor ‘destroyed’ Antonín Kinský and could ‘pay for that in his career at the highest levels,’ especially because Tottenham’s previous defeats were ‘not Vicario’s fault.’

Tottenham coach Tudor made headlines last night as he dropped Italy international Vicario to give 22-year-old Kinsky his Champions League debut.

Spurs went 3-0 down after just 15 minutes at the Wanda Metropolitano, with Kinsky cheaply conceding two goals. As a result, Tudor replaced the Czech goalkeeper with Vicario after only 16 minutes.

Tudor explains Kinsky-Vicario decision

“I’ve been coaching for 15 years and I’ve never done it before. It was necessary to preserve the guy and the team. Before the game, it was the right choice, in a moment like we are, with pressure on Vicario,” Tudor explained at a post-match press conference.

“Antonín is a very good goalkeeper. For me, it was the right decision. After, of course, it’s easy to say it was not right. I spoke to Tony after; he’s a right guy, a good goalkeeper, and unfortunately, these mistakes happen in these games. The start of the game was too much for us.”

Former West Ham, Lazio, Juventus and Milan striker Paolo Di Canio examined Tudor’s decisions during Sky Sport Italia’s post-match show on Tuesday and was quite harsh on the Croatian tactician.

“He’s not entirely wrong, but in this case, he also brought it on himself. I feel sorry for him. Maybe he just lets everything slide off him and doesn’t realise what the tabloids will write. They are ruthless,” Di Canio said via Corriere dello Sport.

“They’ll destroy him, because when you make choices like that, you are hard to understand. I don’t know if there was some issue with Vicario, and there was probably some confrontation in the dressing room, but certainly not because the recent defeats are Vicario’s fault. He’s made a few mistakes, but was a complete shambles of a team in front of him, leaking from every side.

“If you put in such a delicate match, a kid who comes in with 17 appearances for Slavia Prague, and say the player is strong with just six appearances, you asked for it, and you destroyed him,” Di Canio continued.

“I understand that Igor is very tough, and I don’t know if he’ll pay for that in his career at the highest levels. I really don’t think he’ll stay at Tottenham; they’ll go and get an English coach.”

Tudor was sacked by Juventus at the end of October 2025 and replaced by Luciano Spalletti.

He accepted the Tottenham job on February 14, 2026, but has lost all four of his games in charge.