Premier League is ruining the chances of success for clubs in Europe... Christmas fixture list is madness, says Gary Lineker

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Gary Lineker claims the Barclays Premier League is ruining the chances of success for English clubs in Europe.

The former England striker is wary that English clubs will continue to struggle in the Champions League and Europa League due to the hectic festive period when we ‘completely kill ourselves’ and the intensity of the league.

In the past decade, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea have won the Champions League - with the latter the only side on these shores to lift the Europa League.

Premier League is ruining the chances of success for English clubs in Europe, according to Gary Lineker

In the past decade, Manchester United (pictured), Chelsea and Liverpool have won the Champions League

‘It’s the Spanish who do well because they’ve got a form of playing that’s not particularly exhausting and they keep the ball,’ Lineker explained. ‘That has worked really well in the last 10 to 15 years. They have pretty much dominated Europe and other countries have yet to find a way to do that.

‘We completely kill ourselves in the Christmas period with the madness of our fixtures. Boxing Day, New Year's Day, OK, do that, but why the middle Saturday as well? Get rid of that one and replays in cup competitions.

‘You’ve got to remember as well that our football is more frantic than in other countries like Spain or Germany, so we don’t really help ourselves. You come to February and all the other major countries have had a little break but we’ve been going bang, bang, bang.

‘You could see it last season with Chelsea, they are a better team than PSG but looked shattered [in their Champions League last 16 match]. You’re going to get the odd game where half-a-dozen players are dead on their feet and that’s what happened.

Frank Lampard lifted Champions League with Chelsea in 2012 - the last time an English team won competition

‘In the past we have been successful, but one or two of our successes have been quite fortuitous in the Champions League and I’d like do see us do better.’ 

Lineker claims that the strains of the league take their toll on England’s chances of performing in major competitions as well. The last tournament England won was the World Cup in 1966. 

BT Sport presenter Lineker added: ‘It’s the same with international football, we don’t help ourselves. We’ve got quite a good league, it’s quite entertaining, but not really thought out in terms of the Champions League and international football.’

Lineker says Spanish giants Barcelona have benefited from slower pace and fewer fixtures over Christmas

BT Sport is the new home of European football, with all UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League matches exclusively live. Visit btsport.com/europe