Tottenham replaced goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky in the 17th minute of their Champions League last-16 tie at Atletico Madrid after conceding three goals.
The Czech Republic international, 22, endured a nightmare start and interim boss Igor Tudor quickly replaced him with Guglielmo Vicario.
Italian Vicario has started the majority of Tottenham‘s games this season but was dropped for Tuesday’s first-leg tie in Madrid after being criticised for poor performances.
Vicario conceded five minutes after coming on as Atletico stormed into a 4-0 lead by the 22nd minute, before Pedro Porro reduced the deficit by half-time.
But Spurs face an almighty task to turn it around in the second leg on 18 March after losing 5-2.
Tottenham signed Kinsky from Slavia Prague in a deal worth about £12.5m in January 2025.
His first error – a slip – led to Marcos Llorente making it 1-0 in the sixth minute, before Antoine Griezmann added a second eight minutes later.
Kinsky, who last started a game in October – the second of two Carabao Cup games this season – was also at fault for Atletico’s third goal, gifting the ball straight to Julian Alvarez to finish easily in the 15th minute.
Kinsky had his head in his hands and was taken off less than two minutes later.
He was not acknowledged by Tudor before he headed down the tunnel.
BBC Sport’s chief football writer Phil McNulty, who was at the match, said he was not sure he had “ever witnessed anything quite like this” after Spurs’ series of mistakes was followed by Tudor’s decision to take Kinsky off.
BBC Sport’s Spanish football reporter Elizabeth Conway, also at the match, said it was a “disastrous 17 minutes” for Kinsky, who was shown support by team-mates Kevin Danso, Cristian Romero and Pedro Porro as he left the pitch.
Former Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson, commentating on the game for BBC Radio 5 Live, said: “I have never seen that on a football pitch.
“It will be soul-destroying for Kinsky. I would not be surprised if he was in tears. It is a difficult thing to handle.
“It is selfish from the manager. He knows he will not be here for long.
“It is clearly for self-preservation and with no consideration for the young goalkeeper. The manager certainly has not helped his case.”