The 23-year-old Czech goalkeeper was speaking to Sky Sports ahead of Sunday's crucial Premier League relegation showdown at Aston Villa, with Tottenham Hotspur sitting two points below safety with four games remaining.
Kinsky was a surprise selection by then-head coach Igor Tudor for the last-16 first leg in Madrid in March, having made only two Carabao Cup appearances all season. In a torrential downpour at the Estadio Metropolitano, he made two catastrophic errors that led directly to Atletico Madrid goals from Antoine Griezmann and Julián Álvarez. Tottenham conceded three times before Tudor withdrew him for Guglielmo Vicario. The tie finished 5-2 on aggregate.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Kinsky was open about the emotional aftermath.
"It was a moment, my debut in the Champions League, that I was dreaming of as a young boy. For me, this was the thing I was going for. I was looking forward to it so much. Of course, after the game I was sad that this happened. I was confused. Angry with myself."
He described the support network that helped him process the setback.
"I am surrounded by good people who always give me constructive feedback, tell me what they truly think and are honest with me. I talked a lot with them, listened to them, then compared their views with my own feelings — and they matched. For me, it was simply about continuing, and making sure that when the next opportunity came, I would be ready again."
On whether the experience had changed him, Kinsky was direct.
"I would say this experience made me stronger. It's not like before I felt weak. Now I feel stronger because I lived through that experience. You get there because you are already strong, and it only makes you stronger and helps you grow. There is always so much to improve. It shows you the areas where you can get better, or mentally, adjust your approach to the game a little."
The vindication has come quickly. With Vicario sidelined by a hernia operation in the final weeks of the season, Kinsky has started every match and his 98th-minute full-stretch save to deny Joao Gomes' free-kick was decisive in last weekend's 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers — Tottenham's first Premier League victory of 2026.
On the relegation battle, Kinsky refused to entertain doubt.
"It's just positive. If anyone from us felt different, there is no point being in the squad. Where it all starts, it's here. If you don't believe it, you can't achieve it. So this is the most important thing. Do your best to be prepared but, first of all, you need to have the goal and believe it. Otherwise everything is pointless. I believe everyone is like this and I believe this is what's going to help us a lot."
He was equally warm on the impact of Roberto De Zerbi, who replaced Tudor in March.
"By the way he speaks, what you read and what you hear from him — he believes in us. That is a big message he gives us: that the quality is there in the squad. It's just not to speak about it but to show it. With the combination, with the style he wants to play, I think our squad fits that."