Barça's MSN arrive at the Clasico much more tired than Real Madrid's BBC
There are a lot of buts. It's clear they aren't flying in any old way, but in first class or private jets. They will take very good care of themselves and get the best advice to avoid any complications on the trips. They are young professionals and well prepared. But there is evidence that travelling by plane tires you. And if they are trips with few days between, more so. And if they are transatlantic voyages...
The MSN will arrive at the Clasico with a lot more problems on that front than the BBC. Cristiano Ronaldo is the only one of the Madrid trio called up. Portugal play two games, one in their country then one in Belgium. In the worst case scenario for Madrid, he'll play in both, but they are short trips and it's easy for him to get back to Madrid. The second game could even be cancelled, depending on what is happening in the country regarding the terror attacks.
Benzema and Bale have not been called up. The former for problems - the Valbuena case - and the latter, among other things, because he's just become a father for the second time.
The MSN's situation is very different. In principle, they will all play two times. All of the games are in South America and there will be long voyages there and back. Messi plays with Argentina in Santiago against Chile, before returning to his country to face Bolivia in Cordoba. Suarez plays in Recife, Brazil, against that country, then Montevideo for Uruguay's home match, while Neymar features against Suarez in that first game, then in Asuncion, vs Paraguay.
According to Xavier Lemus of TV3, that's 62,352 between the Barcelona players, and just 882km for Madrid's, if Belgium v Portugal is cancelled. Luis Enrique is likely only to have his star trio back on Friday before Saturday's Clasico. A very different situation to Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid.
