Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has made his feelings known on the state of Spanish football by claiming that Real Madrid and Barcelona have it too easy in La Liga, while also suggesting that strong clubs in Italy enjoy similar power.
"I was in Spain, but I didn't enjoy. I didn't enjoy it because I won a title with a record in Spain with 100 points and 121 goals, but we played only three or four (difficult) matches all season," Mourinho explained in an interview with talkSPORT radio.
"I lost a title with 92 points, but again we played only four or five matches in the season," he continued.
Barcelona's results this season would certainly appear to back up Mourinho's comments. En-route to reclaiming the La Liga title Luis Enrique's team have scored five or more goals on as many 13 occasions this season - accounting for more than a third of their games.
By contrast in the Premier League, Chelsea have only scored five or more just twice on their way to the English title, despite boasting the likes of Eden Hazard, Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa among their ranks.
In the past many have regularly claimed that smaller Spanish teams often give up and roll over against the bigger sides because it is not worth their effort to try. That was certainly something former Tottenham captain Ledley King noted about Juande Ramos after he arrived in England from Sevilla.
Mourinho went on to explain, "You feel the pressure that you have to win every match because if you don't you are not champions. You have to win and win and win. But it is a big, big gap between the giants and the others.
"In matches in countries (other than England) you can win when you are resting. In Spain and in Italy, I won lots of matches resting. Where you can think, 'what next'. Where you can think which European game is coming, where you can rest players.
"This season I rested a few players against Bradford and I lost against Bradford. And that is English football. You are winning 2-0 and if you concede a goal you know you are going to have hell for the last few minutes and you might draw 2-2 and lose two points."
As if to prove his point further, shortly after giving the interview, Mourinho's Chelsea were soundly beaten 3-0 by West Bromwich Albion, highlighting that there is never an easy game in England though that was Chelsea's biggest loss in the league since 2006.
"This is the reality of the Premier League. You have no time. It's not just about the number of matches, it's the intensity. And it's not just physical intensity, you feel the intensity mentally," he said.
"I think the difference between the two leagues (Premier League and La Liga) is huge. Would they (Barcelona or Real Madrid) win the Premier League? Maybe yes. Maybe not."
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