On the day Cristiano Ronaldo was awarded his third European Golden Boot, Lionel Messi scored twice to equal Raul's Champions League scoring record as Barcelona secured their place in the knockout stages by beating 10-man Ajax 2-0.
Messi struck in each half and Joel Veltman's 71st-minute red card completed a disappointing evening for the hosts. Messi matched Raul's Champions League record tally of 71 goals thanks to a 36th-minute header and a 76th-minute tap-in, beating Ronaldo to match Raul's mark.
Messi's close-range header after Ajax goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen had failed to clear the ball was more than welcome for Barcelona, who had given the hosts reason to believe a repeat of last season's surprising 2-1 home victory was on the cards.
The Dutch club's hopes were shattered, however, when Veltman was shown his second yellow card in the 71st minute. Five minutes later Messi slid in a low cross by Pedro to secure the win.
Luis Suarez made his European debut for Barcelona, playing from the start alongside Messi and Neymar in Luis Enrique's dream attack, but he struggled to impose himself on the game.
Earlier, Ronaldo said at a lavish ceremony in Madrid that he wanted to be remembered as the best player in the world.
"I always try to do things well and not just last season. I always want to do better," said Ronaldo, who scored 31 goals last season to clinch the award. "The last five years have been very good and the last two have been a little bit better. I don't want to just be the best in Portugal, I want to be the best ever and I will work to be that. After that it is down to individual opinions."
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