Dele Alli’s return to competitive football after a two-year absence was marred by a red card during the away match against AC Milan in Serie A. The English midfielder, who came on as a substitute at San Siro in the 81st minute, faced an early exit when he was shown a red card just ten minutes later. Initially given a yellow card for a tackle from behind on Tomori, the decision was escalated to a red after the referee reviewed the incident on-field.
The 28-year-old, once an international star, made a tragic challenge that left Como playing with ten men for the remainder of the game. Prior to this match, Alli’s last appearance was in February 2023 while playing for Besiktas (on loan from Everton) in a draw against Antalyaspor.
Alli’s recent months have been challenging due to numerous injuries that derailed his career. In 2023, he gave an interview to Phil Neville where he revealed being sexually abused at age six by his mother’s friend and dealing with drugs at eight, experiences that impacted him deeply. Last Christmas, Sesk Fabregas, coach of newly-promoted Como, offered him a chance to train with the team for several months after his stint at Besiktas left him without a club. Subsequently, the Italians officially signed him, leading up to his debut and subsequent dismissal.