Messi scores during Barca's 3-1 Ajax win to inch closer to Raul's 71 CL goals record

Argentina football team captain Lionel Messi scored during Barcelona's comfortable 3-1 win over Ajax to move to within two goals of Spanish striker Raul to become Champions League's all-time leading scorer.

Raul, the Real Madrid legend, is Champions League's all-time leading scorer with 71 goals and Messi could have moved even closer to the record in the match but he missed several other chances.

Neymar opened the scoring for Barca, as the team warmed up for Saturday's El Clasico against Real Madrid, in the seventh against Dutch title holders Ajax. It was the Brazilian forward's seventh goal in his last five Barca appearances, The BBC reported.

Neymar put the Spanish leaders ahead, before Messi converted Andres Iniesta's accurate pass to double the tally.

With this weekend's trip to the Bernabeu in mind, Luis Enrique withdrew Neymar, Messi and Andres Iniesta in the second half as Barca began to relax, which allowed Ajax to nick a late consolation through teenage forward Anwar El Ghazi.

Barca's own young substitute Sandro Ramirez, who replaced Neymar, killing off any hope of a dramatic Dutch comeback.

The Dutch champions offered little threat against the Catalans who are top of the Spanish league after eight matches under new boss Enrique.

Messi and Neymar posed danger throughout as Ajax, who had taken two points from their opening two Group F matches, were pinned back in their own half.

Ajax is now four points adrift of second-placed Barcelona, who bounced back from their 3-2 defeat at Paris St-Germain, the report added.