Cristiano Ronaldo was one of the first out of El Madrigal, walking down the corridors of the little stadium around midnight. He was wearing the famous person's expression of determined non-engagement until he recognised a familiar face from the English football reporting fraternity.
"How are you?" said Ronaldo, wandering over to shake hands. And then, as he turned away, he shouted over his shoulder, "Don't worry. Bale is coming," and winked extravagantly as befits a man who has 203 goals in 203 games for Real Madrid and has just signed a new five-year contract worth 76 million ($147.4 million).
Gareth Bale was indeed soon out but he was wearing that fearful expression and, having just scored on his Madrid debut in a 2-2 draw with Villarreal, could not even muster a word to the lines of cameras and reporters. There seemed some confusion about who had made that decision, Bale or the club, but the Real attitude was spelled out by one of their many anxious-looking minions: "Look, the problem is we didn't win."
In a two-horse race, that is the issue facing Madrid, who are now fourth after four games. They have dropped only two points but when you have a starting XI that cost 324 million and are up against a newly promoted side there can be no excuses. Especially when Barcelona - four wins out of four so far - are capable of knocking over opponents so remorselessly.
What Bale learnt on Sunday was that, although the big two in Spain have strangled the life out of the competition from a financial point of view, there are pockets of resistance. Villarreal were magnificent and, were it not for the Real goalkeeper Diego Lopez, might have won. Bale scored the equaliser and Ronaldo the second after the break.
