At his AC Milan unveiling last week, Kyle Walker said he wanted to experience something different.

But six weeks after Manchester City conceded twice in the final three minutes to lose the Manchester derby, there was a familiar feeling for the England international on Sunday night.

For Amad Diallo’s winner, read Stefan de Vrij’s 93rd minute equaliser that rescued a point for Inter Milan and spoiled Walker’s debut.

The Premier League may have long usurped Serie A’s role at the epicentre of the world game, but the Derby della Madonnina remains a unique fixture in football’s rich tapestry. The all-Milanese affair retains an aura that cannot be measured by UEFA coefficients and value of broadcasting rights.

Even without the usual giant tifo and pyrotechnics, due to the Milan’s prosecutor’s ongoing investigation into both sets of ultras, the atmosphere at the San Siro remained electric. This was indeed different to anything Walker had experienced the 14 times he played for Tottenham against Arsenal and in his 19 Manchester derbies.

And after winning six Premier League titles in the past seven seasons with Manchester City, the current AC Milan vintage represents a vastly different challenge for the England international.

The Rossoneri inducted Andriy Shevchenko into their Hall of Fame before kick-off, but the glory days that were the norm when the Ukrainian terrorised defenders around Europe are long gone. Reaching the Champions League rather than winning it is currently the ceiling to Milan’s ambitions. 

After Shevchenko, Walker commanded the loudest cheer before kick-off as his name was read out. Those of a Rossoneri persuasion know a winner when they see one and with 15 major trophies to his name the former City captain is exactly that.

But reputation only carries a footballer for so long and the feeling in England was that, at 34 years of age, Walker had lost the proverbial yard of pace.  The less frantic speed of Serie A, so the thinking went, would suit him. 

Marcus Thuram tested that particular theory five minutes into the game, motoring past Walker on the outside and leaving Milan’s new right-back floundering in his wake.

It seemed an ominous portent of what may be coming for a Milan side still reeling from a dismal defeat in Zagreb in the Champions League on Wednesday night. Instead, it was anything but. 

Here, at last, was the aggression and energy that Sergio Conceicao had desperately demanded from his players. To a man, Milan players chased every ball, negating Inter’s midfield any space and time.

When the Nerazzurri did manage to unlock the Rossoneri’s back four, their celebrations were stopped in their tracks by the linesman’s flag on three separate occasions and three times by the post.

After Tijjani Reijnders put them ahead on the stroke of half-time, Milan were all too happy to turn the Derby della Madonnina into a scrap.

Walker, who grew into the game just as his side did, obliged with gusto, sending his opposite number Federico Dimarco flying with a robust challenge in the second half.

Walker had come out on top when he and Italy’s wing-back first crossed path in the 2023 Champions League final and he had the better of Dimarco again on Sunday night, with his direct rival exiting the frame with 15 minutes left.

Now came Inter again, Walker shephedring a ball out for a goalkick before being mobbed by his teammates as if he’d scored the winner himself. Milan looked to be over the line. They were not, teams seldom are against Simone Inzaghi’s Inter.

Late goals have been a feature of this fixture this season and here was another one, de Vrij turning the ball in from close range after Nicola Zalewski chested it into his path. 

It was a sickener for Walker, but Conceicao will certainly be encouraged by his debut. Even at 34, he is a clear upgrade on Emerson Royal and Il Diavolo have been crying out for the kind of leadership he can provide.

Time will tell whether Walker can follow in the footsteps of the late Ray Wilkins and Joe Jordan and become a Milan cult hero, but this was a step in the right direction. It was different and it was almost perfect.