The Premier League will always lead in Europe when it comes to transfers, but Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti vows his side will not surrender easily.
Clubs in the English top flight spent over a record-breaking £800million during the January window, led by a slew of big-money moves from Chelsea, who broke the competition's transfer record by signing Enzo Fernandez.
The financial outlay to bring in players to the Premier League saw the competition outspend the combined totals of LaLiga, Ligue 1, Serie A and the Bundesliga.
Speaking ahead of his side's Thursday clash with Valencia, Ancelotti suggested European clubs will always trail those across the English channel when it comes to spending sprees, though noted the Premier League teams will not necessarily dominate in UEFA competitions.
"We know what happens there," he said. "With the television rights, they can spend higher amounts. It will continue like this.
"Europe will follow the Premier League, it gives them an advantage.
"Even so, the competition against them, in Europe, it will not end."
Ancelotti's side are preparing for a busy four-week period that will see them juggle matches across four competitions, including the Club World Cup.
Though Madrid are ready to rise to the challenge, Ancelotti said the congested schedule laid out by UEFA and FIFA is a pressing concern for big clubs.
"We're in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, the last 16 of the Champions League and the Club World Cup," he added. "We don't throw away competitions.
"It is a [tough] calendar. LaLiga wants to do its thing, FIFA wants to do its thing, UEFA wants to do its thing. It doesn't let us have days off.
"The calendar is a very serious issue. We are excited to fight in all these competitions, but the calendar limit is being exceeded. We have to do something to avoid this."
Bellingham 'a little bit too nice' in Real Madrid goal drought
Jude Bellingham suggested he had previously "done a bit too much" for his Real Madrid team-mates and "been a little bit too nice" after ending his goal drought.
England superstar Bellingham scored 23 times for Madrid in all competitions in the 2023-24 season, his first with the club.
But prior to their 4-0 win over Osasuna in LaLiga on Saturday, he was yet to get off the mark for this campaign.
Bellingham netted Madrid's second goal, with a Vinicius Junior hat-trick accounting for the others, yet he is still lagging behind the efforts of previous seasons.
The 21-year-old has played 1,118 minutes this term, having netted every 158 minutes in his debut Madrid campaign.
Bellingham has not underperformed against his expected goals total across a season since marginally doing so for Borussia Dortmund in 2020-21, but his sole goal in 2024-25 has come from chances worth 3.1 xG.
His shot conversion rate of 4.35% is comfortably a new low at Dortmund or Madrid, too.
Those numbers come with the context of Bellingham's altered role in the team, however, as Carlo Ancelotti makes room for star signing Kylian Mbappe in the XI.
"A lot of people were talking about it because last year I scored loads of goals," Bellingham told Real Madrid TV of his goal drought. "But I think I'm playing a different role this year. I'm doing different things in different parts of the pitch.
"It's one of those things, I'll do anything for the team. Maybe I've done a bit too much and been a little bit too nice.
"From now on, I think I'll get a feeling for it, and I'll try to carry on, but if not I'll keep trying to help the team in any way I can."
Bellingham scored from one of two attempts against Osasuna, taking his fifth Opta-defined big chance of the season, while he laid on the assist for Vinicius' opener.
"I felt like I did what I normally do," he explained. "But the only difference is that I managed to add a goal."
Man Utd must get back to where they belong, says Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes says Manchester United must get back to where they belong under Ruben Amorim, having returned to winning ways against Leicester City in the Premier League.
The United captain marked his 250th appearance for the club with a goal and an assist in their 3-0 victory, also forcing Victor Kristiansen into an own goal in the first half.
He has now been directly involved in 100 goals in 170 appearances for United in the Premier League, reaching this milestone with just one more appearance than Cristiano Ronaldo (169) did.
Having gone unbeaten in their four games in all competitions under interim coach Ruud van Nistelrooy after Erik ten Hag's departure last month, United are now preparing for the arrival of new boss Amorim on Monday.
Fernandes was happy to help Van Nistelrooy sign off with a win and is hopeful that United can kick on under their new coach.
"It was a long time that I wasn't scoring and now goals are coming in the last few games," Fernandes said.
"Another clean sheet was important for us to bring back the fortress we had here. We have to keep doing that and we have to improve.
"Ruud van Nistelrooy fills the club, he loves the club, he wants to bring joy to the players. He brought everyone with a smile to the games, he just wanted us to enjoy it. We wanted to say goodbye as a manager for him properly because he did good things for us.
"It's a new era, a new manager means everything changes, but what hasn't changed is that this club has to get back to where it belongs."
Leicester failed to score in a Premier League match for the first time this season, despite an improved second-half performance.
This defeat means they have won just two of their 11 league matches this season (D4 L5), only having fewer wins at this stage of a single Premier League campaign on one occasion (one in 2001-02).
They had a big chance in either half, with Andre Onana making fine stops to keep out Wilfried Ndidi and Jordan Ayew as Leicester struggled to show their usual attacking threat in Jamie Vardy's absence.
But Steve Cooper was not using that as an excuse for their performance on Sunday.
"The result will paint the picture but, in the end, we didn't show enough desire in either penalty area. We let two unopposed shots from outside the area for the goals," Cooper said.
"Two of the goals have come from our corners as well, which is frustrating. It wasn't a dangerous position, but we made it dangerous. At the other end, we got into good areas but didn't show that same desire.
"Our general play was fine but, in the end, we didn't have the purpose. We had good spells, we were in the game, it didn't feel like they were going to score the next goal.
"We can't just say we missed Jamie Vardy; we can't be reliant on that."
'It's just down to me,' says Postecoglou after Tottenham beaten by Ipswich Town
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou took full responsibility after his side suffered a 2-1 defeat to previously winless Ipswich Town in the Premier League.
Sammie Szmodics and Liam Delap gave Ipswich a 2-0 lead at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as Spurs fell short, despite Rodrigo Bentancur returning a goal in the second half.
It was Tottenham's third defeat in their last five matches across all competitions and leaves Postecoglou's side in 10th place in the Premier League with 16 points from 11 matches.
"It's hugely disappointing. We started slow and passively. We gave ourselves a mountain to climb. In the second half, we had chances but didn’t do enough to win the game," the Australian coach told BBC Sport after the game.
His side had also suffered a 3-2 defeat to Galatasaray in the Europa League on Thursday.
The hosts generated an xG of 1.82 on Sunday with five shots on target from 17 attempts, but were unable to take anything from the game.
"It's just down to me, I’m not getting consistent performances from the players. It’s something I need to address. I’m the person in charge, so that’s usually the way it goes. I take responsibility," said Postecoglou.
"We can’t give ourselves those kind of mountains to climb."
When asked about Ipswich's time-wasting tactics, Postecoglou said it is something his players will have to deal with.
"It seems to be the way the Premier League is going. Clubs are taking strategic time-outs. We just have to cop it. It’s up to the officials, not me," he said.
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