Zinedine Zidane is back! And so, almost inevitably, is Isco.
In the first game of the Frenchman's second spell as Real Madrid boss, one of his most trusted players was immediately restored to the starting line-up – and responded with the opening goal in a 2-0 win over Celta.
Madrid may not have played particularly well – they were dreadful in the opening 30 minutes – but that was hardly the point.
Madrid's season is already over; this was about starting over.
In that sense, Isco breaking the deadlock couldn't have been more fitting.
The crafty, silky-skilled Spaniard slowly but surely became a pivotal player during Zidane's successful first spell at the Santiago Bernabeu.
However, Isco suffered more than most following Zizou's departure last summer.
Indeed, he was unsurprisingly overjoyed when Real re-hired Zidane as coach earlier this week.
Getty
"Everybody knows what he has done for this club, as both a player and a coach,” the attacking midfielder said. "It’s good news for everyone that he has decided to return."
That's not really true, though.
It is pretty bad news for the likes of Thibaut Courtois, Dani Ceballos and Sergio Reguilon – as was made abundantly clear here.
All three were dropped to the bench for the visit of a struggling Celta side.
Isco was recalled in his preferred attacking midfield role and he wasn't the only immediate beneficiary of Zidane's return, as the inexplicably ostracised Marcelo replaced Reguilon at left-back and Keylor Navas unsurped needless summer signing Courtois in goal.
Given his strained relationship with Zidane, Gareth Bale would have been less sure of his recall but, with both Vinicius Junior and Lucas Vazquez ruled out through injury, the Frenchman really had no choice but to turn to the Welshman.
Bale took his chance to remind his new/old coach – and the Bernabeu boo boys – of his worth, killing the game as a context with 13 minutes to go with a right-footed finish from a Marcelo assist.
Casemiro may have been suspended on the day, while Cristiano Ronaldo has long since departed, but with this line-up, and this coach, it was as if we were watching the Real Madrid of last season.
They played like the Real Madrid of last season too, albeit belatedly.
Madrid struggled to retain possession early on and didn't threaten at all until Bale Karate Kid-kicked a bouncing ball against the crossbar on the half-hour mark.
Indeed, for a long time, it seemed it might be one of those days, with VAR even ruling out a goal for Luka Modric.
Getty
It was the right decision, though, with Raphael Varane standing in an offside position in front of the goalkeeper.
Zidane's decision to recall Isco, Marcelo and Navas was also vindicated. Indeed, Real were even indebted to the latter for a spectacular one-handed stop from Maxi Gomez when the game was still scoreless, making it feel even more like old times.
"Not much has changed [since last May]," even Zidane admitted afterwards. " I've quickly found my old habits.
"This team is eager to finish the season strongly. We can say it's been a difficult season but you don't have to throw everything into the trash as there has been some good."
However, this warm welcome back and positive result won't have changed Zidane's long-held opinion that this Real squad needs to be revamped.
Florentino Perez's refusal to fund a dramatic overhaul was the reason why he elected to walk after last season's Champions League triumph.
Despite this, the former No.10 insisted beforehand that the Celta clash was not the first of 11 auditions for his squad, their opportunities to show him that they are worthy of being retained.
However, as Goal confirmed earlier in the week, he only returned to Madrid because president Perez has promised him full control over the summer recruitment plan.
This time around, Zidane will decide who stays and who goes.
In that context, Saturday's game was good news for Isco, Marcelo and perhaps even Bale.
It was anything but, though, for Courtois & Co. There are now only 10 auditions to go.