Olympiakos midfielder Esteban Cambiasso has defended the performance of English clubs in Europe, saying the Premier League "is probably the hardest" to play in.
Despite Premier League clubs' financial advantage over all but a handful of their European counterparts, their dominance has waned over recent years to the extent that the competition could lose its fourth Champions League place in the coming seasons.
Olympiakos' 3-2 win over Arsenal on Tuesday -- along with Chelsea's 2-1 defeat at Porto -- meant English sides had lost five of their opening six games in this season's group stage. Wins for Manchester United and Manchester City on Wednesday bolstered those figures the three wins from eight games, but currently only United are in the top two of their group and that is on goal difference.
However, former Real Madrid and Inter Milan midfielder Cambiasso -- who spent last season with Premier League side Leicester City -- said the intensity of the English top flight meant its teams were at a disadvantage in Europe.
"There will be a lot of attacks on the English teams because they have not won games but I also think you have to remember the Premier League is probably the hardest league," the ex-Argentina international said in The Sun.
"That has an effect -- the English teams do not arrive rested and relaxed when they come and play in Champions League games. When you have a competition of such a high level at home, it changes things.
"In the leagues where the big teams can have slightly more simple games, the players can arrive more rested.
"You have to remember that when you have a league where the best players are playing and they are in the league, the Champions League, the Euros, the Copa America, they are playing 60 games a year and that is not easy to maintain your level."
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers, who rested several key players for his side's Europa League opener at Bordeaux last week, has called on the Premier League to help English clubs succeed in Europe by rearranging domestic fixtures.
Cambiasso added: "The hardest thing is the domestic competition. They are not arriving at their games in Europe in the best possible way because of that. It is simply that."