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Como players surrounded the referee after Dele was sent off against AC Milan [Reuters]
Former England midfielder Dele Alli was sent off less than 10 minutes into his first professional match for two years as new club Como were beaten by AC Milan in Serie A.
Dele came on as an 81st minute substitute for his Como debut but was sent off in second-half stoppage time for a rash challenge on Milan midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Como went on to lose the game 2-1, with Christian Pulisic and Tijani Reijnders scoring in the second half for Milan at the San Siro after Lucas da Cunha put the visitors ahead before the break.
Dele, who previously played for Tottenham and was part of the England side that reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup, signed for Como before Christmas after a long period out of the game.
He had not played since a spell on loan at Besiktas from Everton, with his last game coming in February 2023.
The 28-year-old signed for the Italian top-flight debutants in January and trained with them for a month before being named as an unused sub in the 2-1 defeat by Roma on 2 March.
Dele was sent on by Como manager Cesc Fabregas to replace goal scorer Da Cunha but a clumsy tackle on compatriot Loftus-Cheek saw referee Matteo Marchetti upgrade his initial booking to a red card following a Video Assistant Referee review.
The VAR review showed Dele's studs catching the leg of Loftus-Cheek and
Marchetti had little option but to send him off, despite Milan defender Kyle Walker - a team-mate of Dele's at Russia 2018 - also trying to plead his case with the official.
Fabregas, who was also dismissed late on, refused to make excuses for Dele after the game.
"Dele Alli is a goal scorer. I tried to give him an opportunity," Fabregas told DAZN. "A serious mistake by an experienced player. Clear red, he left the team at a time when it could have made it 2-2."
In an emotional interview with Gary Neville in July 2023, Dele revealed he was sexually abused at the age of six and was dealing drugs aged eight.
He also admitted drinking alcohol and taking sleeping pills during his career but emphasised his desire to return to playing after receiving support for his off-field problems.
The result means Como stay 13th in Serie A, six points above the relegation zone, while Milan are seventh.
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