Last year the Club World Cup in the United States kicked off on June 14 and wrapped up on July 13, with Chelsea beating Paris Saint-Germain in the final. European domestic seasons had mostly finished by the end of May. Serie A, for example, ended on May 25. A few days off, a long flight to America, a return home and then the new season started again on August 23.

Not every club survived the trip

Twelve European teams took part in that tournament. Look at how many of them are struggling now and you can see the consequences. These are mainly sports problems. Financial effects are a separate story.

There are a few clear exceptions. Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich still have top squads and domestic leagues that often feel like warmups for Europe. Porto had an outstanding season under Farioli and stands out as the only genuine positive among the twelve, even though Porto did not get past the initial group stage in the United States.

The teams in trouble

That leaves nine other European clubs showing signs of wear.

  • Inter should be a top force in Italy but they have struggled. They have not won in four official matches, scored only two goals in that span, and were knocked out of the Champions League after being physically outmatched by Bodø/Glimt.
  • Juventus are doing worse. They are outside the Champions League places in Serie A, were beaten 3-0 by Atalanta in the Coppa Italia quarterfinals, and were eliminated from the Champions League by Galatasaray in the playoff.
  • Real Madrid sit four points behind Barcelona in La Liga.
  • Benfica are seven points behind Porto despite not losing since the arrival of Mourinho.
  • Borussia Dortmund are nine points adrift of Bayern Munich and suffered in the Champions League against Atalanta.
  • Atletico Madrid trail Barcelona by 16 points.
  • Salzburg are down in fourth place in the Austrian playoff table.
  • Two cases in England are especially striking. Manchester City are nine points behind Arsenal in the Premier League and were knocked out of the Champions League in the round of 16 by Real Madrid. Chelsea, the winners of last summer's Club World Cup, are 22 points behind Arsenal, out of the Champions League, not in a good spot for domestic cups, and have already dismissed manager Maresca.

Why this is happening

The pattern is hard to call a coincidence. Seasons have been stretched and stacked. Coaches shout more, players burn out and calendars are packed. Yet there has been little concrete action to stop this downward trend. Clubs make most of the decisions. Money plays a major role and often drives choices over the welfare of players and the quality of the game.

To add perspective, most European leagues finish between May 16 and May 24, and that Club World Cup in the United States began on June 11 the following month. That leaves barely any recovery time between a long season and another international competition.

What it costs

The short version is simple. Players risk fitness and form. Matches can look worse. Fans get less spectacle for the same ticket price. Clubs and organizers get the revenue, while the sporting calendar pays the bill.

Enough with the easy money. If the sport keeps prioritizing cash over recovery and competition quality, more teams will start the season already running out of breath.

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