What do Chelsea , Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid have in common? Of the many answers to that question, two are particularly pertinent right now: First, they've all been afflicted by copious and curious injuries early this season; second, they all played competitive football deep into the summer while contesting the latter stages of the newly formatted FIFA Club World Cup, which Chelsea won on July 14.

Never before have European club teams extended their seasons so far beyond May -- with the exception of the COVID-19 pandemic a few years ago -- and never before have club medical departments been so understandably vexed by the simple idea of keeping their players fit and healthy.

PSG took on Barcelona this month in what should have been a blockbuster Champions League tie, ye

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