Stars will still play in Spain - G.Raul

Stars will still play in Spain - G.Raul

Real Madrid captain Raul believes the game's biggest stars will continue to move to the Primera Division despite the scrapping of tax advantages for big-earning foreign players.

The Spanish government are to change the so-called "Beckham Law" and raise the amount of tax foreigners earning above 600,000 euros pay from the current 24 per cent to the 43 per cent that Spaniards have to pay.

The Spanish football league (LFP) have already voiced their concerns about the proposed changes, which are set to take place in January 2010 but will not affect those players who already have contracts, and they will hold a General Extraordinary Assembly on Friday to discuss the consequences, amid talk of possible strike action by the professional clubs.

Raul, whose side signed the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Karim Benzema this summer, said: "I think all of us have to play by the same rules.

"We'll see if it is approved."

He also doubted whether a change to the law would mean less star players moving to Spain in the future, adding: "I don't think so. The great players will keep coming."

The "Beckham Law", named after former Madrid star David Beckham who was one of the first people to benefit from it, was passed in 2005 and was aimed at attracting specially qualified foreigners to Spain.