Kyle Walker not regretting leaving Man City for lackluster AC Milan ahead of derby debut

By Canadian Press on January 30, 2025.

MILAN (AP) — England defender Kyle Walker could be forgiven for having some regrets over leaving Manchester City for AC Milan.

Especially after seeing close up how his new team is performing, with even Milan coach Sérgio Conceição saying his players are lacking “footballing basics.”

Walker joined Milan last week on loan, with the option to make the move permanent at the end of the season.

He watched Milan’s rollercoaster win over lowly Parma from the stands at San Siro last weekend. The Rossoneri were trailing 2-1 in injury time before two stoppage-time goals.

Walker, who was cup tied, was also just an observer on Wednesday for Milan’s Champions League match at Dinamo Zagreb, where the 10-man Rossoneri lost 2-1.

But Walker, who won six Premier League titles and the Champions League in seven seasons at City, insists he hasn’t had any second thoughts — even when Milan was 2-0 down at home to Parma.

“Definitely not. It’s football. Things happen in football,” he said. “But by the end of the game, we won 3-2. And that’s what the main things is. We got the victory that we wanted, that we needed. This is a step in the right direction.”

Possible debut in Milan derby

Man City’s long-serving right back left the Premier League club to get more playing time and explore a move abroad. Walker will likely get a baptism of fire on Sunday if, as expected, he makes his debut in the Serie A derby against fierce rival Inter Milan.

Defending champion Inter is second in Serie A, three points behind Napoli and with a game in hand. AC Milan also has a game in hand, but is 19 points behind Napoli.

Milan has won both derby matches this season, however; in the league in September and the Super Cup final this month.

“I’m expecting an exciting match. They’ll be looking for revenge after the Super Cup,” Walker said.

“This is where the character, the mentality comes in, that this is our crown now and we need to make sure we go to that game fully committed. Not just for ourselves and for the league table position but also for the fans as well.”

Walker won 15 major trophies at City after joining from Tottenham in 2017 and established himself as one of the best right backs in Premier League history.

At Milan, he finds himself in a team that is clearly lacking in confidence and leadership.

That is what the 34-year-old Walker has been brough in to help resolve.

“It’s what I have to do. At my age, from my experience, I can pass on that to the younger players,” Walker said. “But also I can’t do it alone.

“And I have seen that there is leaders but maybe the confidence is a little bit low. The rhythm is win game lose game, have a bad performance have a good performance. And you need a level of consistency.”

Conceição’s emotions encouraged

Milan is already on its second coach of the season, after Conceição replaced Paulo Fonseca at the end of last year.

Like Fonseca and previous coach Stefano Pioli, Conceição has criticized his players for their lack of determination and mentality, something he has been struggling to remedy as he strives to instil into AC Milan the same values he had as a player: Courage, combativeness and a hunger to win.

Conceição dropped to his knees and screamed after the late winner against Parma, before having to be restrained after the final whistle during a heated exchange with Milan captain Davide Calabria.

“I feel that from what I’ve been listening to over the last few days he (Conceição) has got a good idea, he’s got a good foundation that he wants to build this club on. And I think it’s needed,” Walker said.

“Sometimes there needs to be discipline, sometimes there needs to be that fire and emotion coming from the body because it projects onto the players. And recently the players have lacked a bit of that.”

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Daniella Matar, The Associated Press