Update: Good, Better, Best

Fans are treated to the spectacular displays in La Liga, particularly when Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi are on form, as they were over the weekend.

So when Ronaldo scores a brilliant free kick in Madrid's bounce-back win over Valladolid, what does Messi do? Something like this, obvi.

La Liga Round-Up

While Barca were held 1-1 on Saturday by a spirited Villarreal side, Real Madrid failed to capitalize on the opportunity to get on equal terms with Barca at the La Liga summit with a sub-par performance against Osasuna, resulting in an 0-0 draw.

Elsewhere, Mallorca won 2-0 over Athletic Bilbao, moving them into CL qualifying fourth place over Sevilla, who were set back at Atleti over the weekend. Valencia (3rd), Mallorca (4th), Sevilla (5th) are now all within two points of each other, with Deportivo la Coruna, Getafe and Athletic Bilbao not far off their pace.

The title may be out of reach for most, but there's still a lot to play for in La Liga.

Footballers Are Just Like Normal Guys

They have problems. Some face troubles with our fairer sex compatriots. Some battle addictions, and others have money problems.

And these money probs don't stop with blowing all their cash - though they do so often enough. But, just as often, you can find these footballers bemoaning their taxation levels. Seriously, how are they supposed to lavish Ferraris and the like on their WAGs AND contribute to the social good? See, problems just like with the other guys we know.

And now these taxation troubles are about to get more acute in Spain, where a proposal circulating Parliament could reverse the "Beckham Law," and raise taxes on Spanish footballers from the current 24% to 43%, as soon as January 1st.

Naturally, the Spanish League Association has objected to this reversal, claiming that it would cause a veritable foreign flight of top talent. Problem with that argument is that even now only 35.8% of La Liga's players are foreign. So, on that measure of the law's success, it trails the Premier League (65.5% foreigners, 50% taxation rate), the Bundesliga (43.7% foreigners, 45% taxation rate), Ligue 1 (41.9% foreign players, 40% taxation rate) AND Serie A (41.7% foreigners, 43% taxation rate).

It also fails the logical test: If the taxes are raised in Spain to levels equitable to those in other countries that house top leagues, where exactly would the players go?