Former Tottenham star Gareth Bale was talking this week about why English teams do not succeed in Europe.
Gareth Bale
Real Madrid ace Gareth Bale has two Champions League medals in his collection already, winning the latest last season.
He has justified leaving Tottenham Hotspur behind in 2013, with the North London side qualifying for the competition only once since he moved on.
They had a swift exit this season, knocked out in the group stages, one of two English sides eliminated from the competition already.
Speaking to The Mail this week, Bale gave his thoughts on English teams’ failures in the competition.
He said: “It’s the league itself. Every game in the Premier League you have to be at 100 per cent for 90 minutes or you will lose.
“In Spain, you can be up at half-time against the bottom club and take your foot off the gas. You can rest players and take people off. If you try for 45 minutes you won’t win a match in the Premier League.
English teams are then at a disadvantage Bale believes, but there is a key lesson Tottenham can take, assemble a bigger and better squad.
They attempted to strengthen last summer, but it did not work out. Moussa Sissoko, Vincent Janssen and Georges-Kevin N’Koudou have all flopped, and there is one common denominator – all three of them had never played a game in the Champions League.
The one who has succeeded was Victor Wanyama who played in the competition for Celtic.
Tottenham had the right idea to strengthen, but they spent big on players not of proven calibre.
Doing so again this summer will give them a chance to rotate more, and ensure their best players are fresher for Champions League games, the factor Bale suggests is of the utmost importance.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino
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