This was more than a Clásico win. It was a declaration of a new loyalty. At 2:30am, with everyone else fast asleep, the Valdebebas training complex shook to the sound of chants.
José Mourinho arrived to find a reception even the most passionate Merengues fans had not expected. The Real Madrid manager was the biggest winner of the Camp Nou night, settling it with a 2-1 scoreline.
Nobody remains unconvinced now. A few had doubted the merit of Mourinho's second spell when he arrived last June. The Clásico win demolished all of it.
He picked his starting line-up with meticulous care for a difficult encounter, and stamped his tactical imprint on every minute. Everyone acknowledged the work. What had been taken for granted was confirmed: he has won every heart.
The Monday dawn scene: the full documentation
Cameras from the famous programme "El Chiringuito" captured the greatest proof of this radical shift. The team's plane landed from Barcelona shortly after 2am on Monday, and Mourinho headed straight to Valdebebas, where around 100 fans were waiting.
This was no fleeting pause. It was a jubilant celebration in every sense of the word. The supporters greeted the team bus and the manager's car with chants and songs, and as Mourinho left for home, he did more than wave. He joined in the applause and sounded his car horn in salute to the fans who had stayed up until dawn for him.
The secret of Madrid's unity
Mourinho's success did not come from nothing. The Portuguese faced plenty of question marks on his arrival, then changed things radically with outstanding managerial skill, on and off the pitch.
On the pitch, it came through results and performance. Off it, his clever speeches created a "common enemy", whether the press or the referees, forging a united and solid front between dressing room and fans. Real Madrid are now more united than ever before.
Especially after the disappointment of defeat in the last derby, one truth is undeniable: Real Madrid's fans are living the best moments of the season.
Amid the fluctuations of football, a firm conviction runs throughout the capital. This team has all the necessary ingredients to return to the podiums of glory with a major title once again, after two years of absence. The days alone will prove that.