Just as the domestic action edges closer to its dramatic conclusion this season, the international break is here again.
For players, it may be a welcome period of respite from their club nightmares but for fans, it has likely come at the worst possible time.
There is plenty at stake, however. With places at the World Cup up for grabs, mega clashes between some of the world's best footballers and a host of potential debutants looking to make their mark, expect plenty of twists and turns.
One of Italy and Portugal will not be at the World Cup later this year, a dramatic story made possible because of their play-off routes. The former, the reigning European champions, are even facing missing out on a second consecutive World Cup.
So, with that in mind, we picked out six things to look out for in the break.
Salah v Mane II
Liverpool club mates Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane are set to do battle against each other once again when Egypt face Senegal with a spot at the World Cup on the line. The first leg of their qualifying play-off will take place in Cairo on March 25.
After that, there is just a four-day gap between the second leg, which is set to be held on March 29 in Senegal. Between that fateful period, one of these nations will be heading to Qatar, and the other will be consumed by disappointment.
Last time out, it was Mane who enjoyed the last laugh. He scored the decisive penalty to help Senegal beat Salah and Co in the Africa Cup of Nations final. The clash finished goalless at the end of the extra-time, before the tense shootout.
A close encounter has been predicted between these two heavyweights once again.
The Pharoahs are hell-bent on reaching a fourth World Cup, while their opponents this month are bidding for a third appearance on the biggest stage of them all.
Both sides went to the World Cup in Russia in 2018, but crashed out in the group stage. In their bid to remain on the road to Qatar, they will first have to triumph in their own star-studded showdown, in which Salah and Mane will take the spotlight.
Italy and Portugal's World Cup showdown
It's been a testing season for Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United, and it could yet get even worse for him. That is because, sensationally, Portugal are at real risk of failing to qualify for the World Cup - a previously unthinkable prospect.
The suspense can be traced all the way back to Aleksandar Mitrovic's last-gasp winner for Serbia against Ronaldo and Co. His goal helped his team qualify for Qatar and, in the same swoop, condemned Portugal to the play-off route.
That also meant that one of Italy and Portugal, both giants of the globe, would not make the finals, given they were drawn on the same qualification pathway.
Italy and Portugal make up part of the 10 second-placed finishers from their groups, and they find themselves on the same route as North Macedonia and Turkey.
The former will take on North Macedonia, while Portugal were drawn with the latter.
Euro 2020 winners Italy could miss out on their second consecutive World Cup, while Portugal have reached the prestigious tournament every time since 2002.
Eriksen rides again for Denmark
This will be the standout moment of the international break, no matter what happens in the crunch fixtures right around the corner. Christian Eriksen, back playing football for Brentford in the Premier League, is now set to return for Denmark.
This emotional reunion briefly looked set to be derailed after the playmaker contracted Covid-19 ahead of his side's clash against Leicester, but it is believed that the experienced Eriksen is still hopeful of featuring for his country.
He has not turned out for his country since suffering a cardiac arrest during Denmark's Euro 2020 match against Finland in Copenhagen on June 12 last year.
The Danish FA and Brentford boss Thomas Frank have since expressed optimism that Eriksen would be able to link up with his national side, who play Holland and Serbia.
The 30-year-old was fitted with an ICD, with the electronic device now connected to his heart. That meant, however, that he was prevented from continuing his career in football with Inter Milan under the law in Italy.
Denmark's game against Serbia will be an emotional occasion as it's at the Parken Stadium, where Eriksen suffered his cardiac arrest.
Players escaping their clubs' misery
The news is never received well by the fanbase for obvious reasons, but players tend to make the most out of their free time - if they have any during the international break - by jetting across the world to train and kick their feet back.
Several Manchester United superstars have come under fire in recent days after being spotted touring the world in the wake of their Champions League elimination. The first-team were given a lengthy break after their defeat by Atletico Madrid.
Ralf Rangnick's side are not in action until April 2 now, meaning they have been handed a 17-day break to rest, recover and ruminate on what has been a disastrous campaign for them. Some players have jetted out to Dubai in the Middle East.
Clubs at the other end of the Premier League will also not take to a pitch for a little while, handing their squads a different form of respite. Norwich, for example, are in desperate search of a spark of inspiration, and will hope to find it this month.
As mentioned before, meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo will hope to ease his trophy woes at Old Trafford by qualifying for the World Cup. Escaping the misery is the theme of this break, and the veteran United talisman certainly qualifies for that.
Wales' play-off semi-final showdown
This truly is a make-or-break international break for a host of countries, with Wales included in this. They face Austria in their World Cup play-off semi-final, and are hoping that talisman Gareth Bale will be fit for the clash after his injury woes.
Indeed, Bale missed out on Real Madrid's thumping El Clasico defeat because he 'didn't feel well', according to Carlo Ancelotti, with reports in Spain claiming that the forward, the captain of his country, was suffering from back pain.
The winner of Wales and Austria's showdown will take on the winner of Scotland's tie with Ukraine, a game that has understandably been postponed as a result of Russia's invasion. That match may take place in the Nations League window in June.
After that, the play-off final will follow in the same month.
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