Dele Alli’s Comeback Cut Short by Swift Red Card in Como Debut
Published: 09:31 GMT, 16 March 2025
Dele Alli’s return to the pitch after a 748-day absence ended in dramatic fashion as he received a straight red card just ten minutes into his Como debut. The former Tottenham Hotspur and Everton midfielder made his long-awaited comeback against Serie A giants AC Milan at the San Siro on Saturday night.
The 28-year-old England international was introduced as a substitute in the 81st minute, replacing Lucas Da Cunha. This marked Alli’s first competitive appearance since February 2023 when he played for Besiktas against Antalyaspor. However, his return quickly turned sour when he was sent off following a challenge on AC Milan’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek, a former Chelsea player.
Initially, referee Matteo Marchetti brandished a yellow card. But following a VAR review during stoppage time, the decision was overturned, and Alli was shown a straight red card. Reports suggest teammate Kyle Walker appealed to the referee, seemingly for leniency, but to no avail.
Following the match, Como manager Cesc Fabregas did not hold back in his criticism of Alli’s dismissal during his post-game interview.
Fabregas commented, “It was just after Milan scored their second goal to go 2-1 up, and we were preparing to bring on Sergi Roberto. However, I’ve decided to give Sergi another couple of weeks of training to ensure he’s fully ready to start against Empoli.”
He continued, highlighting Alli’s recent arrival and lack of full preparation, “Dele Alli is a player with goal-scoring ability, although perhaps this opportunity came slightly prematurely for him. He has only trained with us for two weeks and still has considerable room for improvement. This red card was a serious error, especially from a player with his level of experience.”
Fabregas further stated unequivocally, “It was unequivocally a red card; there are no arguments to be made. He put the team at a disadvantage, down to ten men at a critical juncture when we were pushing hard for an equalizer at 2-2. This is undoubtedly the most disappointing aspect of the evening, but we must move forward.”
Alli was sent off for a challenge on Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Image credit: Getty
Cesc Fabregas didn’t hold back in his assessment of the red card. Image credit: Getty
Dele Alli Breaks Silence on Red Card Incident
On Sunday morning, Dele Alli addressed the unfortunate events of his debut via his Instagram story.
His message read: “I knew my return would be memorable after two years away, although I would have much preferred it to be with a goal! [face palm emoji] Still, it feels great to be back playing. [love heart emoji]”
Ultimately, AC Milan defeated Como 2-1. Como’s next fixture is scheduled for March 29th against Empoli.
Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Dele Alli, AC Milan, Serie A, Cesc Fabregas
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