Barcelona head off to Japan and the Club World Cup finals in just about the best possible position.
Despite still being under the auspices of a FIFA-imposed 18-month transfer ban, dealing with a succession of relatively long-term injuries and already having played at the grounds of most of their nearest rivals, the Catalans sit proudly atop La Liga.
Furthermore, their qualification from Group E of the Champions League was achieved with a record eight-point gap between themselves and fellow knockout stage qualifiers AS Roma.
Neymar, injured at present but redefining the paradigm, has been by some distance the best player in the league in 2015/16, closely followed by Luis Suarez.
With Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal just three weeks away from being able to finally challenge for a first-team starting slot, it’s no wonder Luis Enrique looks relaxed and confident.
Although there is a perception that the Club World Cup remains a ‘second rate’ tournament, that will not deter the Blaugrana from giving their absolute best in the pursuit of becoming, indubitably, the world’s best again.
It isn’t lacking respect to suggest that certain teams within the competition are not up to Barca’s standards but that’s hardly the fault of the Catalans. To coin a well-worn phrase, you can only beat what is in front of you.
If anything, complacency is entirely likely to be Barca’s worst enemy in Japan, at least for their semi final match. Many has been the time when supposed superior teams have been undone by the application of their opponents.
Barca’s performance against Deportivo La Coruna this past weekend is a prime example of what happens when you take your foot off of the gas.
Enrique is unlikely to countenance that attitude again from his first-team staff because there is a certain kudos to wearing a jersey that is decorated with the little gold badge which reads “World Champions”.
That Barca would remove the same from the all-white of Real Madrid and place it on the Blaugrana will be an extra incentive and motivation to bring home their third Club World Cup title in six years.
Not forgetting of course that it would be a fifth trophy in the calendar year for Enrique, just one short of Pep Guardiola’s unique achievement of a sextuple.
Securing the title would sign off a wonderful year for the Catalans, in stark contrast to Real’s 2015, Los Blancos finally accepting their fate of being disqualified from this season’s Copa del Rey for fielding an ineligible player.
It follows a disaster of an El Clasico performance, the arrest of Karim Benzema and suggested player unrest behind the scenes.
Who’d have wagered that this time 12 months ago the tables would’ve turned to such an extent.
