Cejudo was on the wing for Osasuna who needed a win against Real Betis on the last day of the 2013-14 La Liga season to keep their hopes of survival alive, while Riera was at the arrowhead of their attack.

Twelve minutes in, the nimble Cejudo split three Betis defenders with an inch-perfect through ball from within his own half, instinctively knowing where his centre-forward would be. An angled run and deft first touch from Riera rounded the last man before a composed finish netted the opening goal of their 2-1 win.

Fans couldn't contain themselves, spilling onto the pitch in celebration of a goal that may have kept Osasuna in the top flight and had all the hallmarks of a lethal attacking partnership emerging.

Unfortunately, other results went against them and a goalless draw between Almeria and Athletic Bilbao consigned the Navarran club to relegation, abruptly ending that blossoming partnership.

Despite suffering demotion, Riera enjoyed his most prolific season in the top flight scoring 13 goals. Cejudo's form earned him a return to his childhood club, Betis.

"For the club, it wasn't a very good season but for us it was," Cejudo said.

They parted ways but their bond was never broken. "Actually, our families became friends. We played together and our families enjoy being together, we always stayed in contact," Cejudo said.

Riera became a journeyman in Spain and England while Cejudo became a regular in La Liga after propelling Betis back to the top. For those three years, they remained close while no longer teammates and after Riera joined the Wanderers in July. When Cejudo chose to finally end his 14-year love affair with Betis, Riera made every attempt to entice his former attacking partner to join him at the Wanderers' Blacktown training base.

"I was happy to be in the first division with Betis. We had a good place [within] Spanish football and I had a good relationship with the fans. It was like a family, it was my home," Cejudo said. "But, I needed a change. My family needed a change - a new experience that would be a very nice one for us. This was very important."

He had no shortage of offers to remain in his native country, including a chance to stay with the Seville club. However, an opportunity to reforge that partnership with his close friend in a new land and at a club vowing to play a more attractive style of football proved too good to refuse.

"He [Riera] helped me come here. He arrived two weeks before and he told me it was a great club, a great city and helped me choose to come here," Cejudo said.

He moved to the other side of the world but found a touch of home in the possession-based system the Wanderers are implementing. Coach Tony Popovic has indicated his project clearly while assistant Andres Carrasco's past at the Barcelona academy makes for a familiarity that attracted Cejudo.

"I think that it is like me and it's how I love to play football," he said. "It's a hard training, but it's definitely the real way to play football."

It's helping rekindle a once-impressive partnership that flourished in perhaps the best league in the world. In time, he believes fans' celebrations will be hard to contain once again.

"I know Oriol. When we have two months playing together, we will remember a lot of those movements between us," Cejudo said. "With this, we can do things."