AC Milan defender Kyle Walker says his “heart kicked in” when pleading with the referee not to send off opponent Dele Alli during his former Tottenham Hotspur and England team-mate’s debut for Como last month.
Dele, who was introduced as a substitute in the 81st minute of Milan’s 2-1 win, was making his first appearance in more than two years, having not played since February 2023 during a spell on loan at Besiktas from Everton.
“I think my heart kicked in. Anyone else, I would have just let them get sent off,” said Walker.
“But with Dele, I know how hard he’s worked to get his chance at Como. It’s a good club for him to try and revive his career.”
Dele’s Como debut was cut short after 10 minutes when he was sent off in second-half stoppage time for a rash challenge on Milan midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
An initial booking was upgraded to a red card after a video assistant referee (VAR) review, despite pleas from Walker.
Walker, 34, said: “We wanted 10 men, but for the personal relationship that I have with Dele, for the years I’ve known Dele, for what he’s been through – which he’s publicly said and I think he’s been very strong and open about that – to then get sent off for not really a cynical challenge, he was a little bit hard done by.”
In 2023, Dele revealed he was sexually abused when he was six years old. He has also spent time in rehab because of a sleeping pill addiction and mental health issues.
Following his dismissal for Como, Dele wrote on social media: “Two years! Not necessarily how I planned it, but we keep moving.”
In the same post, the 28-year-old shared messages that had been exchanged between he and Loftus-Cheek following the game, in which Dele claims he had “just tried to clip” his opponent’s heel.
Walker said having to defend yourself on social media rather than face to face reflects “the world that we live in now”.
He added: “Would I have done it? Maybe not but Dele thought that was the right thing – probably to say sorry to the fans and show that there was no malicious thought in it.”
