FOR Jose Mourinho, the omission of Paul Pogba from his starting line-up on Wednesday night was bigger than just a selection issue for a single game.
It was a statement for the future. A statement that he would not be messed about. Not by his 89million club-record buy, not by anyone.
Pogba may feel he is being made a scapegoat for Manchester Uniteds recent poor form.
But in a stand-off between manager and player there will be only one winner and that is Mourinho.
He had made that very clear in showdown talks with the player last week in which he told Pogba he had been going through the motions.
That is why he has been hooked twice and was left out of the starting line-up for the home league game against Huddersfield.
Pogba also missed the FA Cup win at Huddersfield with a mystery illness in the wake of those showdown talks with Mourinho.
From training on the Friday to being too ill to play on the Saturday, to training again on Sunday, it was some illness and some recovery.
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Nobody has explained quite what it was that was bad enough to rule him out of the game or what the miracle cure was.
On the day before Uniteds goalless Champions League draw in Seville, Mourinho made a point of showcasing the fact Pogba was fit.
He pointed to the fact he had joined in the most intense part of training but still left him out of the starting line-up.
As he said in Seville, surely if he was too ill for Saturday there had to be some doubt about whether he should play on Wednesday.
It was like a parent with a kid who had got out of school in midweek with a bug but still wanted to go to his mates party a few days later. Oh no you dont.
It was interesting that Mourinho has now moved the emphasis for Pogbas absence last Saturday away from the club doctor, who he previously claimed had ruled him out, and on to the player.
This was Mourinho after the game on Wednesday night: Paul created some doubt by not playing last Saturday. By not playing by his OWN decision. He was not feeling good and created some doubts.
So after all that, Mourinho was not going to sacrifice Scott McTominay in Seville for his record buy.
Academy graduate McTominay had, after all, been one of the few bright sparks during the clubs recent downturn in form.
No problems, no hassle, just getting on with it.
Mourinho wanted everyone to know it as well, even hugging BT Sports post-match interviewer Des Kelly for asking him about the 21-year-old rather than Pogba after Wednesday nights game.
Not only does Pogba believe he is being made a scapegoat for the clubs recent form, he thinks he has been picked on in training.
He is unhappy at where he has been asked to play, although Mourinho believes he has been employed of late in his favourite position on the left of midfield.
Pogba had a chance to prove Mourinho was wrong to have left him out of the team in Seville when he came on for the injured Ander Herrera but did nothing like it.
He was lost in the malaise of a poor performance which United were lucky to escape from on level terms ahead of the second leg of this last-16 Champions League tie.
There is a mixed zone area after games in Europe where the media get a chance to speak to players about what has gone on. Nobody was doing that after this game.
Pogba whisked past everyone with a member of staff by his side who had clearly been watching too many of those Elvis documentaries when The King is helped to escape the building after just finishing American Trilogy.
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The question now is whether Pogba will be back to perform on Sunday.
With Herrera out, there are few options unless Mourinho opts to go with a 4-2-3-1, with McTominay in the two alongside Nemanja Matic.
Given it is a huge grudge match against Antonio Conte and Chelsea at Old Trafford, one that threatens to even knock the Carabao Cup final off top billing, Mourinho cannot get this wrong. As United manager, you never can.
Sometimes, however, you need to make a statement for the greater, long-term good.
Sir Alex Ferguson always did, with legends like David Beckham not immune from the axe.
It would be interesting to know what Fergie would have made of Pogbas rapidly changing hair colour, social media videos, emojis etc...
All this is fine when you are doing it on the pitch. When you are not, it looks like a distraction.
And distractions are not what Mourinho needs right now with Uniteds season in the balance.
It does not take a doctor to tell you that.
Where is it going wrong for Pogba and Jose Mourinho at Man Utd?