Cesc Fabregas slams Dele Alli after red card on Como debut

Head coach Cesc Fabregas slammed Dele Alli following his sending off on his debut for Como. The former two-time PFA Young Player of the Year's first professional game in 748 days lasted only nine minutes as he was shown a straight red card for a foul on AC Milan's Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Alli was introduced from the bench by Fabregas in the 81st minute with Como trailing Milan 2-1. He was shown a yellow card in the 90th minute for a foul on Loftus-Cheek which was upgraded to a red after a VAR check.

Following the game, Cesc Fabregas did not hold back and insisted that it was unexpected from such an experienced footballer. The Como manager said, as quoted by Metro:

"It was at that moment when Milan went 2-1 up and Sergi Roberto was meant to come on, but I’d prefer to give him another two weeks to train so he can be ready to start against Empoli. 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."

Fabregas added:

"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 ten 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 Alli joined Como in January 2025, hoping to reignite his career after dramatically falling off in recent years. He was once a key player for both Tottenham Hotspur and England and was named PFA Player of the Year twice.

Dele Alli opens up on his sending off after his long-awaited comeback to football

Dele Alli opened up about his feelings on social media after seeing a direct red card upon his return to professional football. The Englishman was sent off just nine minutes after coming on as a substitute for Como in their 2-1 defeat against AC Milan.

The 28-year-old claimed that while it was not a comeback he had planned for, it felt good to come back. He wrote on Instagram, as quoted by Metro:

"I was always going to announce my return in some way after these past 2 years, would rather it had been with a goal. But feels good to be back [love heart emoji]."

Dele Alli made 269 appearances for Tottenham Hotspur, scoring 67 goals and providing 55 assists. He has also earned 37 caps for England so far, having contributed with three goals and seven assists.

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