Failed big-money signings hurting Madrid - Fernandez

Barcelona technical secretary Robert Fernandez fired a shot at rivals Real Madrid over their lack of transfer activity, saying it was down to their expensive bench players.

European champions Madrid were largely inactive during the window, the return of Alvaro Morata for €30million their only major piece of business.

Barca, meanwhile, added the likes of Andre Gomes, Paco Alcacer, Lucas Digne and Jasper Cillessen to their already star-studded squad.

Fernandez pointed to Madrid's bench players as the reason Zinedine Zidane's hands were largely tied.

"European teams that cannot make investments is because they make large investments who do not play," he told RAC1.

"They are making large investments. It's sometimes difficult to improve to the bench.

"They have players who do not play and have cost a lot of money."

James Rodriguez, who cost Madrid €80m in mid-2014, was expected to leave the Santiago Bernabeu, but remained despite reported interest from elsewhere.