Are Barcelona better off not playing in the Club World Cup?

It’s hard to take the FIFA Club World Cup seriously when this year’s title winners from three of the best leagues in Europe won’t be participating. That’s right, no Barcelona, Liverpool, or Napoli.

In addition to that, in what’s supposed to be a warmup for the United States as hosts of the World Cup a year from now, tournament organizers are reportedly struggling to fill the stands. Fans simply aren’t buying what FIFA is selling.

The new grand format looks to be off to a rocky start, there’s no debate about it.

So surely, Barcelona is better off staying home, getting rest, and focusing on the task of being as prepared as possible, both mentally and physically, for the grinding campaign ahead.