Former England midfielder Dele Alli was dismissed just under 10 minutes into his first professional game in two years as his new team Como lost to AC Milan in Serie A.
Dele entered the game as a substitute in the 81st minute for his debut with Como but received a red card during stoppage time of the second half for a reckless tackle on Milan's Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Dele was introduced by Como manager Cesc Fabregas, but a careless challenge on fellow countryman Loftus-Cheek prompted referee Matteo Marchetti to elevate his first booking to a red card after a VAR check.
The evaluation revealed Dele’s studs striking Loftus-Cheek's leg, leaving Marchetti with little choice but to dismiss him.
This occurred regardless of the efforts made by Dele’s ex-Spurs teammate Kyle Walker in advocating for him to the referee.
Walker receives negative coverage in England due to his off-field activities and notable errors in major tournaments, yet his empathetic response to Dele’s situation was quite different from the sensationalized image often portrayed in tabloids.
Despite Milan holding the lead late in the match, Walker had no advantage to gain from his pursuit of mercy.
However, the Manchester City defender on loan definitely raised our opinion of him by reminding us that, at this moment, football is played by humans and not by emotionless AI machines.
Como ultimately lost the match 2-1, with goals from Christian Pulisic and Tijani Reijnders in the second half for Milan at the San Siro, following Lucas da Cunha giving the visitors the lead before halftime.
Dele, formerly with Tottenham and a member of the England team that made it to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals, joined Como before Christmas following an extended absence from football.
He had not participated in a match since his loan period at Besiktas from Everton, with his most recent game being in February 2023.
The 28-year-old joined the Italian Serie A newcomers in January and practiced with the team for a month before being listed as an unused substitute during the 2-1 loss to Roma on March 2.
Fabregas, who was similarly sent off late in the match, declined to offer excuses for Dele following the game.
"Dele Alli is a striker." "I attempted to offer him a chance," Fabregas remarked to DAZN.
“A grave error committed by a seasoned player.” He clearly received a red card and departed from the team at a moment when they could have equalized to 2-2.
In a heartfelt interview with Gary Neville in July 2023, Dele disclosed that he was sexually abused when he was six and was involved in drug dealing at the age of eight.
He also acknowledged consuming alcohol and using sleeping pills throughout his career but stressed his wish to resume playing after gaining assistance for his off-field issues.
The outcome indicates that Como remains in 13th place in Serie A, six points clear of the relegation zone, whereas Milan occupies the seventh position.
We wish for Dele to get additional chances at Como to rejuvenate his career and showcase his considerable footballing skills to everyone.
However, we also commend Walker for supporting his friend, who has endured a long time of introspection and hardship just to return to professional football.
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