Dele Alli won’t learn the length of his European ban for a month

The moment Dele Alli went studs-up into the shin of Gent’s Brecht Dejaegere in last week’s Europa League match, you knew he was going to be sent off. His resulting red card reduced Tottenham Hotspur to ten men against Gent, and more critically, was the catalyst for the 2-2 draw that sent Spurs crashing out of the Europa League.

The worst part is that this was Spurs’ final European game, which means that any suspension will carry over into the 2017-18 season. Now, the Evening Standard is reporting that Alli is probably going to have to wait for nearly a month before learning his fate. The UEFA disciplinary committee will decide and announce the length of Alli’s suspension by March 23. Coincidentally, this is also the day that the Brent Council will rule on whether Spurs can play their home games in a full capacity Wembley Stadium next season.

Most observers, including the Standard, think that Alli is likely to receive a three match ban for violent conduct, but he could get less... or more, depending on how severe the committee thinks Alli’s infraction was. Either way, he’s probably going to miss about half of the group stage competition matches in either the Champions League or Europa League next season, depending where Spurs finish in the table.