DELE Alli has shared his WhatsApp conversation with Ruben Loftus-Cheek after he was shown a red card for a challenge on the AC Milan midfielder.
New Como signing Alli was sent off less than 10 minutes into his footballing return – after waiting for two years on the sidelines.
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Alli endured a nightmare debut under Cesc Fabregas, after being subbed on in the 81st minute, with Como 2-1 down at the San Siro.
The 28-year-old was initially shown a yellow card for a late ankle tackle on Loftus-Cheek in the closing stages.
Referee Matteo Marchetti upgraded it to a red after VAR called him to the monitor.
Alli broke his silence on Instagram, writing: “Two years! Not necessarily how I planned it, but we keep moving.”
He then wrote on his story: “I was always going to announce my return in some way after these past two years.
“Would rather it had been with a goal but feels good to be back.”
Alli also revealed a text exchange with his former England team-mate Loftus-Cheek on Sunday morning.
Writing at 11pm on Saturday night, the former Tottenham ace wrote: “Picture looks bad, I just tried to clip your heel.
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“When the ref went to VAR I didn’t even know it was for me 😫😂.”
Alli subsequently blurred out Loftus-Cheek’s first response, before showing the former Chelsea star’s line: “Bro I had no clue”.
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Loftus-Cheek then added: “I stayed down because I was blowing.”
Alli then asked for the AC Milan star’s permission to add their exchange to his carousel on Instagram.
The pair were part of Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the 2018 Russia World Cup.
AC Milan claimed a 2-1 thanks to second-half goals by Christian Pulisic and Tijjani Rejinders after Lucas Da Cunha had given Como the lead.
Manager Fabregas had little sympathy for Alli and fired warning shots to the midfielder after the game.
Fabregas told DAZN: “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.
“It is a grave mistake, one that we should not see from a player of his experience.
Dele’s Como debut timeline
- 81st minute – Alli comes on to make Como debut
- 89th minute – Alli makes the challenge on Ruben Loftus-Cheek and is yellow carded
- 91st minute – His yellow card upgraded to a red after VAR review
- 94th minute – Cesc Fabregas is also sent off for his reaction to the incident
“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.”
But Fabregas was also sent off for his reaction to the incident.
Milan’s Kyle Walker – a former England and Spurs team-mate of Alli – was seen begging with the ref not to send the 28-year-old off.
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