WHO WILL BREAK IT.....LEO OR CR7

The race is almost over - and Lionel Messi is set
to win it. Barcelona's brilliant forward scored
twice at Ajax on Wednesday night to move above
Cristiano Ronaldo in the Champions League
scoring charts and draw level with Real Madrid
icon Raul on 71 goals in the continental
competiton. And he is now in pole position to pi
the Portuguese to the outright record as well.
Messi, who is on the verge of breaking Telmo
Zarra's record for goals in La Liga, netted once in
each half to make it 71 Champions League strike
on Wednesday and eclipse Ronaldo, who failed to
convert in Madrid's 1-0 win at home to Liverpool
the previous night.
Earlier on Wednesday, Ronaldo had picked up his
Golden Shoe for finishing - level with Luis Suarez
- as Europe's top goalscorer in league football in
2013-14 and announced: "I want to be
remembered as the best player ever."
Ronaldo also hinted he would beat his rival to
Raul's record when he said after scoring in his
side's 3-0 victory at Anfield last month: "I'm not
worried about that. I know I'm going to break th
record. Messi is very close too.

Now he is even closer. The Argentine headed
home in the first half to give Barca the lead after
Ajax goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen had come
rushing off his line and Marc Bartra's clever cros
picked out the 27-year-old. Messi then made it
2-0 after Ajax had been reduced to 10 men,
sliding home to convert from close range after he
had played a neat one-two with Pedro.
The four-time Ballon d'Or winner came close to a
hat-trick late in the game as he sought to claim
the record outright, but he will have the
opportunity to surpass Raul on November 25,
when Barcelona travel to APOEL in the fifth round
of group matches.
Although the Argentine failed to score in the hom
game against the Cypriot side, he will be
expected to convert in the return - especially wit
the record at stake.
Ronaldo will have to wait a day more for his
opportunity to overtake his former club colleague
and will also fancy his chances as Madrid host
Bulgarian side Ludogorets at the Santiago
Bernabeu.
"We are happy for Leo [to get the record]," Xavi
said after the match. "He has worked very hard
for the team. He is the one that makes the
difference, the number one."
Barcelona coach Luis Enrique echoed Xavi's
comments: "Messi is without doubt the best
player I've seen as a player and a coach."
Just don't tell that to Cristiano.