As Manchester City board their flight for southern Spain this afternoon, the race to Qatar starts now. Private planes, first-class trains and big old automobiles, forever on the road, until the World Cup.
There is not one midweek without a match until the domestic game makes way for the international stage in just over two months’ time.
The Premier League’s European contingent are used to congested schedules but have never endured a timetable quite like this.
Some of the managers — Pep Guardiola included — will have a fair amount to say on this once the injuries mount up and fatigue sets in.