The Liverpool reject outperforming Ronaldo - why Iago Aspas makes La Liga XI ahead of Real Madrid star

The Spain international has assumed Nolito's mantle leading the attack in Vigo, and a fantastic first half of the season means he is amongst La Liga's elite performers.

 It might seem incongruous to see Iago Aspas get the nod ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo among La Liga's best performers, but the decision is more than justified.

The Celta forward is best known in England for a disappointing spell at Liverpool, where he scored just one goal in 15 fleeting performances over the course of the 2013-14 season.

But in Galicia his talent has never been doubted, and he has reached a new level since returning to his boyhood club under the wing of Eduardo Berizzo.

Marcelo Bielsa's old assistant at Chile has put together a typically dynamic, swashbuckling side in his two and a half seasons at the club, and Aspas has been a big part of that success.