Newcastle United face Rayo Vallecano in a friendly on Saturday, with the Magpies set to play on home soil for the first time in more than a month.
The World Cup has put domestic football on hold, with Newcastle being forced to wait to resume their spectacular season.
But with the final set to take place on Sunday, where Argentina take on France, club sides can finally brace themselves to return to the pitch.
Newcastle have been preparing in Saudi Arabia, enjoying a warm weather training camp in Riyadh where they beat Al Hilal 5-0 in a friendly.
Now the Magpies head back to St James’ Park, with La Liga outfit Rayo Vallecano arriving on Tyneside. The Spanish side should provide a sterner test than Al Hilal did, and the timing of the game gives Eddie Howe something of a selection headache.
Unclear who Howe should pick vs Rayo Vallecano
When it’s the summer, the final pre-season fixture takes place a week before the big kickoff. But this winter break is a bit different.
Given Newcastle’s progress in the cup, they will actually return to competitive action just three days after Saturday’s friendly.
Howe’s side face another home game, with Bournemouth heading to the North East for a Carabao Cup clash on Tuesday night – 24 hours earlier than initially planned.
And with Newcastle set to be without their World Cup representatives against Vallecano, it leaves Howe with limited options for the friendly.
He needs to pick a strong team as he will want players to gain match sharpness, but then must be wary that they have a big cup game in just three days.
Right-back is a slight problem position. Howe currently only has Javi Manquillo available, but Kieran Trippier could be ready for the Bournemouth game. However, the Toon boss might be keen to save the 32-year-old for the Premier League’s return on Boxing Day.
Elsewhere, Chris Wood seems set to be Newcastle’s main striker against Vallecano and Bournemouth. He needs to be protected, especially given the back problem he suffered against Al Hilal.
Howe needs to find the right balance on Saturday. Players need minutes in their legs, but they also need to be kept fit for the League Cup tie with Bournemouth.
If he has suitable players available, it would not be a surprise to see Howe use two different XIs against Vallecano – one for the first half and one for the second, with plenty of youngsters getting a chance to impress.
That could be for the best – but Howe’s main priority will be ensuring his team are fit and ready for Bournemouth next week.
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