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Angry Lennon rejects scapegoat tag

Aaron Lennon has hit out at those who have criticised his absence from Tottenham's Champions League clash with Real Madrid © PA Photos

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Aaron Lennon has rejected suggestions that his late withdrawal was a key cause behind Tottenham's Champions League demolition at the hands of Real Madrid - saying the club had known for days that he was suffering with illness.

Initially selected in the starting line-up, Spurs manager Harry Redknapp was forced to make a late change as Lennon declared himself unable to play - with Redknapp suggesting after the final whistle that he was caught unawares by the news.

Jermaine Jenas ended up replacing the winger, and he was beaten to the ball by Emmanuel Adebayor for Madrid's first goal on the way to an emphatic 4-0 triumph for the Spanish giants.

Angry at the post-match discussion surrounding his late withdrawal, Lennon hit out at those - seemingly including his manager - who suggested his withdrawal came too late for the club to reorganise and thus led to the heavy defeat, revealing the club had actually known he had been struggling with illness since the weekend.

"Believe me this is one game I did not want to miss and still devastated now," Lennon posted on Twitter. "But (I) will not be made a scapegoat, saying they only knew just before kick-off.

"Saying I fell ill before the game is bull****. I fell ill on Sunday morning when the medical team put me on antibiotics, but (it) only got worse before Tuesday."

Redknapp explained after the final whistle on Tuesday that the midfielder had said he was unable to play minutes before kick-off.

"We lost Aaron Lennon a minute before kick-off, he didn't feel well, just said he had no energy, no strength," Redknapp said at the time. "We had to change the team just as we were leaving the dressing room."

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