For those of us of a certain generation, this was a special occasion. That theme tune, James Richardson and a cracking match from the San Siro. Gollllllazzzzo, indeed.

Back in the day, before football long passed saturation point, Serie A for free on Channel 4 was an institution. The big names, the atmosphere, the glamour – all into your living room every Sunday afternoon. We never knew we had it so good.

Time, though, passes for us all and Calcio is clearly not the powerhouse it once was. Bounced around between channels in the UK and then only available via some kind of subscription, it started to feel like a bit of a backwater or an afterthought in scheduling for some. That’s why Saturday night’s shop window on the BBC was an opportunity not to be missed.

Certainly the Derby della Madonnina delivered. Great crowd, great game, great goals. All that was missing was the voice of Peter Brackley.

Patrick Kendrick and Manuel Pascali on the world feed are – vocally anyway – a bit of an odd couple, but it somehow works. Well informed and passionate, you can’t really ask for more. Mamma Mia, for sure. (Note: Adam Summerton and Don Hutchison are magic on TNT too).

And then there was Jimbo. The hair was greyer but the pre-match coffee and Gazzetta was a pure hit of golden memories. An espresso shot of nostalgia to keep you buzzing for hours.

The coverage wasn’t perfect – a halftime interview with Nathan Patterson felt a bit odd – but it was still glorious. If you’re of my vintage and recall the days of Batistuta, Baggio, Gazza and the likes then this had beautiful echoes. Serie A may no longer be home to the world’s best but it can still put on a show. With so much expectation, the big match did not fluff its lines.

Of course, a little bit of what made last night so special was its rarity. Maybe if we got it all the time it would lose a bit of its shine – but I’d be willing to take that risk. Campionato Di Calcio Italiano – let’s party like it’s 1993 some more.