The break with the crowd is recent. In the second week of the season Alvarez was still in Madrid, whistled and booed by his own supporters. He was left to walk up the tunnel alone while his teammates turned the other way and applauded fans who had abused him.
Atletico have got this far without Alvarez at his best. His powers have been weakened and are only slowly returning as he accepts that this is his place and begins to make amends. Even so, the side sit ahead of Madrid and just behind Barcelona, with results falling into place.
Hope remains on Atletico's side. Sunday is when the apology meets the fixture that would matter most: Barcelona, at home, with a place at the top on offer if Atletico win, and with reconciliation still to be earned.
By the time the World Cup came round he had admitted a desire to leave for Catalonia. Something had shifted in him even as he kept scoring. Six weeks have passed since he came to accept that he was staying.
Stuck, he had making up to do, if only for a while. He waited until he had a goal to go with the apology, a peace offering many supporters felt was the least he could offer, and overdue.
Four months have passed since a day in Dallas, after Argentina beat Algeria, when Alvarez did not name Barcelona and did not need to. Everyone already knew.
Alvarez did not deny how he felt, and he did not say he no longer wanted to depart. He did say he had made a mistake in the how and the when.
Barcelona, who thought they needed his goals, have managed without them. They are on course for more than 150 goals in the league alone, and the chance of them coming back for Alvarez is receding.
"I spoke with the people I needed to and the best thing for everyone is a transfer,"Alvarez said. Atletico did not agree and refused to sell. Barcelona, open in their pursuit at the time, may not agree now. He has said sorry. Forgiveness, though, has to be earned on the field, and Sunday is the clearest chance yet. A win would take Atletico to the top.