A question of legs? Barcelona fresher than Real Madrid on final straight

A question of legs? Barcelona fresher than Real Madrid on final straight

One of the obsessions of Luis Enrique from the start of the season has been to arrive at the final straight with as much gas in the tank as possible, with options in all the competitions. Enrique has achieved his goal and Barcelona are in a different state to Real Madrid, although Los Blancos are still alive in both La Liga and the Champions League. "Freshness is key when it comes to the hour to take decisions," said Enrique after beating Valencia, and he has been working with this premise in mind as the season reaches its summit. Two forms of management, and we will see which the results and trophies point to as the more effective.

5 Madrid footballers, worked to the bone

Cristiano (3,387) Benzema (2,843), Bale (3,027), Kroos (3,124) and Marcelo (3,124) have played more than 75% of the total minutes in La Liga and the Champions League this season, a total figure of 3,690 minutes. Ancelotti has been unwilling to rotate and gone for the first eleven whenever possible, and in the final stretch this could add to injury risks, as we have seen in the case of Bale, and above all, may impact upon physical and mental freshness in decisive moments. 

On the other side, Luis Enrique has rotated a lot and it's only Messi that has played 75% or more of the minutes, reaching 3,622 of the 3,690. 

Engine room

The central midfield at both clubs is very different. While Barcelona's players have shared the minutes in midfield, Madrid have "drowned" Kroos, playing him in 89% of all Champions League and La Liga game time. Injures to Modric and James, two hugely important players, forced Isco to take centre stage and play for a long stretch of time. 

Modric's new knee injury will allow Isco back into the side after losing the confidence of the coach, and means Ancelotti will have few resources to call upon in central midfield beyond his starting line up. 

At Barcelona rotation has been constant and they are fresher than ever in the middle. Busquets has played 2,611 minutes, Rakitic 2,422, and Iniesta 1,839. Xavi has been rotated in and Mascherano has played in midfield too. 

Messi and Cristiano

These two players have played whenever injury and suspension has not been a problem. Messi has played 3,622 of 2,690 minutes, and Cristiano 3,387 - missing three games for suspension and one for a knee problem. The hopes of both teams lie in the boots of these players. Neither Enrique nor Ancelotti will care about Excel tables and minutes played when it comes to picking these two.