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Manchester City, but since that moment has full admiration for just how much the overloaded soccer schedule compares to the grueling Major League Baseball season.

"I'm in awe to the fact that if you finish fourth, it's actually a great season because you make it to the Champions League," Cora told Men in Blazers Media Network founder Roger Bennett about Premier League play.

The season typically starts in late March or early April and ends in late September or early October, with the postseason extending into early November, ending in the World Series.

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, since 1961 (when Major League Baseball expanded the schedule from 154 games), fewer than five players a year on average have played at least 162 games in a season.

Last season, just four players played in all 162 regular season games -- Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos and Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson, Braves DH Marcell Ozuna and New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso.

"Actually, Virgil was in awe.

But we play, no excuses."

On Tuesday night, the LaLiga leaders earned hard-fought 1-0 home win against Mallorca, to extend their lead over Real Madrid at the top of the table to seven points with five games to go.

But Barcelona also have to contend with the Copa del Rey final against Madrid on Saturday and they must also make sure not overload players as they head into the Champions League semifinal vs.

Inter Milan next week.

In the United States, Inter Miami players like Lionel Messi compete in Major League Soccer, Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup and the Club World Cup in addition to representing their national teams.

Across the globe, players must find a way to recover between games to avoid injuries.

Player workload, of course, has been a long-standing issue, with the biggest clubs often in competitions until the final stages and then traveling for long-distance preseason tours in the United States or Asia.

These trips can last for two or three weeks and involve several matches.

The top players also have to factor in international games, and the travel that involves during a season, plus major tournaments every two years.

It will now be a 63-match competition and the opening game is slated for June 15 -- just 15 days after the 2025 Champions League final.

In between, there are crucial World Cup qualifying fixtures, and the finals of the UEFA Nations League, to be played across the globe on June 4-10.

This comes on top of the extra two games in the expanded league phase of this season's Champions League.

"Some leagues in Europe -- themselves competition organisers and regulators -- are acting with commercial self-interest, hypocrisy, and without consideration to everyone else in the world," FIFA said in a 2024 statement about the calendar controversy.

"Those leagues apparently prefer a calendar filled with friendlies and summer tours, often involving extensive global travel.
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