AC Milan v Tottenham: Financial gap between Premier League and Europe 'too big' - Stefano Pioli

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Stefano Pioli takes AC Milan training before Tuesday's Champions League match against TottenhamImage source, Getty Images
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Stefano Pioli led AC Milan to the Serie A title in the 2021-22 season - the Rossoneri's first Scudetto since 2010-11

The financial gap between the Premier League and the rest of Europe's top divisions is "too big", says AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli.

Premier League clubs spent £815m during the January transfer window - nearly four times the combined £225m spent in Spain, Italy, Germany and France.

Pioli's Milan host Tottenham in the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday.

"I prefer to concentrate on on-field matters, but there's no match for them economically," the Milan coach said.

The Premier League's financial dominance in Europe increased to the highest proportion ever reported in January.

Spending by English top-flight clubs accounted for 79% of the total across Europe's 'big five' football leagues, where January expenditure fell by 35% from 2022.

Chelsea spent more in January - around £288m - than the combined total of all clubs in La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1.

Milan were one of the 12 clubs - including six from England - which agreed to join a new European Super League in April 2021.

But the 19-time Italian champions were among those who pulled out after intense pressure from fans, causing what would have been a landscape-changing move to collapse.

Last year, AC Milan chief executive Ivan Gazidis - who has since left the club - said there had to be a "competitive balance" between the Premier League and other leagues.

"If they [Premier League clubs] spent 900 million euros and we in Italy didn't spend anything it's clear that there's an economic gap which is too big," said Pioli.

Pioli, 54, led Milan to the Serie A title in the 2021-22 season - their first Scudetto since 2010-11 - but his side have struggled in their title defence.

The Rossoneri are fifth in the Italian top flight, 18 points adrift of leaders Napoli, after 22 rounds of the 38-game season.