Dele Alli returns! Como midfielder back from suspension after nightmare debut as boss Cesc Fabregas sends out strong message to squad ahead of derby clash

The English midfielder, who joined the Serie A outfit in a bid to revive his career, saw his first appearance cut short in sensational fashion against AC Milan. Having been introduced off the bench by head coach Fabregas, Dele was shown a straight red card less than 10 minutes later after an aggressive challenge on Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Dele’s former England teammate and AC Milan loanee Kyle Walker tried to intervene with the referee, pleading against the decision. Despite his protests, the official stood firm, and Dele was sent down the tunnel, leaving Fabregas’ side to finish the match a man down.

In a further boost to Como’s preparations, Fabregas provided a relatively clean bill of health for his squad. While a few players are still managing minor concerns, most of the team is available for selection, including Dele.

"They are all ready, except Azon who is a bit tired, Van der Brempt is slowly recovering," he said. "I haven't seen him in the sprint yet, but this week he did very well. The more players we have, the better it is also for the competitiveness. They are all here, Nico Paz and Dele Alli are back after the suspension".

Fabregas also sent out a strong message to his squad before the match. He added: "Many teams have struggled against Monza, as Alessandro Nesta’s side play good football and much like us, they have fewer points than they would deserve. In order to stay in Serie A, you don’t have to win every game, but if you are not winning at the 88th minute, you must at least avoid defeat. We have improved, but there is a long way to go yet. I’d say we are only 25 per cent there in the Como project, but first of all we need to secure our Serie A safety. After that, we must realise that the expectations are going to go up and we must adapt to the various opponents in the league. There is no comparison with Serie B, there is so much more quality here, whereas last season we could afford to run more risks.”

With Como sitting 13th in the Serie A table, Fabregas understands the stakes are high. Although his team is currently seven points clear of the relegation zone, every fixture counts in the tightly-contested bottom half of the table and none more so than a showdown with basement dwellers Monza.

For Dele, this weekend’s derby offers a fresh start, a chance to make headlines for the right reasons. His debut may have been marred by controversy, but there’s still a sense of anticipation surrounding what the former Tottenham star can bring to Como’s midfield.