Adebayor apologizes for red card

Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor has apologized for his red card against former club Arsenal and insists there was no malice in his challenge on Santi Cazorla.

Adebayor had given Spurs a dream start at Emirates Stadium by scoring the opening goal after 10 minutes, but he was sent off just eight minutes later for a lunging tackle on Cazorla.

Spurs went on to lose the North London derby 5-2 and Adebayor has accepted he let everyone down by being dismissed.

"I completely understand my sending off changed the entire outcome of the game and I whole-heartedly apologise to my team-mates, the manager and all the Tottenham fans for letting them down," Adebayor told The Sun.

"But I must stress that my challenge was not malicious in any way whatsoever.

"I was genuinely trying to win the ball and probably stretched my foot out a bit too far in the heat of the moment.

"Nobody could have felt more devastated than me as I walked off the pitch.

"I so much wanted to help Tottenham win and thought for a moment that I'd actually set that win up when I scored, but football changes so quickly.

"One minute a hero, the next a villain."