Svilar reassuring for Kinsky after Tottenham trauma: ‘I had similar experience’

Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar has sent a message of solidarity with Tottenham Hotspur’s Antonin Kinsky. ‘A similar thing happened to me on my Champions League debut.’

The Giallorossi are preparing for the first leg of the Europa League Round of 16 against fellow Italians Bologna, which kicks off at the Stadio Dall’Ara on Thursday at 17.45 GMT (18.45 CET).

Ahead of that clash, Svilar wanted to take a moment to reassure a colleague who was hauled off the pitch just 16 minutes into a disastrous performance against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last night.

Svilar latest to reassure Kinsky

“A similar thing happened to me eight years ago, I too made a mistake in my Champions League debut, and it took quite a few years for me to get over it,” Svilar told Sky Sport Italia.

“I feel bad for him, but I’ve seen him play many times, and in my view he will become a great goalkeeper. This incident will only help him to reach that level.”

Of course, Svilar was not taken off the pitch after just 16 minutes of the tie, which is what coach Igor Tudor did to Kinsky last night, replacing him with Italy international Guglielmo Vicario.

He was also only 18 years old when making that Champions League bow for Benfica in a 1-0 group stage home defeat to Manchester United in October 2017, and stayed on for the entire match.

Meanwhile, the Roma shot-stopper is focused on the Europa League tie with Bologna, hoping to shore up the defence after conceding five goals in the last two Serie A games.

“It can happen over a long season. On the other side, we are scoring more goals recently, and our defence was solid for such a long time, it will go back to that.”

The team had already been ticking up the results at the end of last season and only narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification under Claudio Ranieri.

How have things changed for the Giallorossi with Gian Piero Gasperini at the helm?

“He likes a more direct approach, without too many passes in defence, as we want to make our quality count going forward.”