Dele Alli made his debut for Como on Saturday evening, two months after signing for the Italian club as a free agent following his departure from Everton last year
Dele Alli has shared a statement on social media after being sent off ten minutes into his return to playing professional football after a two-year absence.
Dele, 28, now plays for Como, signing for the Italian club in January as a free agent six-and-a-half months after his Everton expired at the end of last season. The former Tottenham Hotspur player continued to work with the Merseyside club during the summer, training with them after recovering from a long-term thigh injury that prevented him from playing during his final season.
After announcing his Everton exit, he then started working with Como late last year, weeks before signing an 18-month contract with the club coached by Cesc Fabregas. Dele then made their matchday squad beginning this month.
After being an unused substitute in matches against Roma and Venezia, he came on in the 81st minute with Como losing 2-1 to Milan at San Siro. However, referee Matteo Marchetti cut short that cameo by showing Dele a red card following a tackle from behind on former England international team-mate Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
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The former Chelsea midfielder, who was also playing for the first time since recovering from a thigh injury, had the back of his left leg stood on by Dele, rolling his ankle in the process. Marchetti initially showed a yellow card for the challenge, but after watching a slow-motion replay on the pitchside monitor, changed that decision to a red.
Dele’s former England and Spurs team-mate Kyle Walker, now on loan at Milan from Manchester City, notably pleaded with the referee not to send his compatriot off. Fabregas was, too, sent off in added time but had some strong words for his player afterwards.
He first explained that Sergi Roberto “was meant to come on” before the head coach decided not to risk the former Barcelona player so soon after only recently recovering from a calf injury, especially in the final match before the March international break. Fabregas then said, via Football Italia : “Dele Alli is a player who can score goals; he perhaps didn’t deserve this opportunity because he has only been working with us for two weeks and has a lot to improve.
“It is a grave mistake, one that we should not see from a player of his experience. It was a clear red card; there’s nothing to be said about that; he left the team down to 10 men during a crucial moment when we were pushing for 2-2. That is the most negative thing about this evening, but we keep going.”
Dele then shared a statement on his Instagram story on Sunday morning. “I was always going to announce my return in some way after these past two years,” it reads, “would rather it had been with a goal (see-no-evil monkey emoji), but it feels good to be back (purple heart emoji).
