MX23RW : Monday, September 30 21:42:59| >> :120:14579:14579:
[monks data]
Barcelona logo
Champions League | Group Stage
Sep 18, 2013 at 7.45pm UK
 
Ajax

4-0

Messi (22', 55', 75'), Pique (69')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Lionel Messi puts Champions League title first

Lionel Messi says he would prefer to win the Champions League with Barcelona to beating Raul's all-time goals record in the competition.

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has admitted that he is not bothered by personal records as he wants his team to win the Champions League this season.

The Argentine netted a hat-trick on Wednesday night as Barca opened their new European campaign with a 4-0 win over Ajax at Camp Nou in Group H.

Messi is now just nine goals short of Raul's all-time record in the competition, but the 26-year-old has insisted that he is not thinking about individual achievements.

"Obviously I am pleased that tonight makes it 62 UEFA Champions League goals but above that is the result and how our team played," Messi told reporters. "I thought this was a very good Ajax side, always attempting to play football, to win the ball off us and to keep it.

"So to get a win of this margin has been a good night's work. It was good to play against a rival who wanted to compete in pure football terms with us. That will have made it a good game to watch. The idea of overtaking Raul at the top of the all-time Champions League scoring charts is a fine challenge, but it is not essential.

"We, as a team, have other more important objectives. For example, to get as far as we are capable of in this competition. To try to win it again. Whether the right number of goals come for me this season or not is not so important."

Barcelona travel to Rayo Vallecano in La Liga on Saturday.

ID:105768: cacheID:105768:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:2446:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates with team mates after scoring the his team's fourth goal against Ajax during their Champions League group match on September 18, 2013
Read Next:
Barcelona cruise past Ajax
>
Read more about Lionel Messi Raul Football
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
FT
Bills
10-35
Ravens
Tables header RHS

League Phase

TeamPWDLPTS
1Bayern11003
2B. Leverkusen11003
3Celtic11003
4Aston Villa11003
5Dortmund11003
6Sparta Prague11003
7Juventus11003
8Liverpool11003
9Real Madrid11003
10Sporting Lisbon11003
11Atletico11003
12Benfica11003
13Brest11003
14Monaco11003
15PSG11003
16Arsenal10101
17Atalanta10101
18Bologna10101
19Inter Milan10101
20Man City10101
21Shakhtar10101
22Barcelona10010
23Girona10010
24RB Leipzig10010
25Red Star10010
26Sturm Graz10010
27AC Milan10010
28Lille10010
29PSV10010
30Stuttgart10010
31Brugge10010
32Salzburg10010
33Young Boys10010
34Feyenoord10010
35Slovan Bratislava10010
36Dinamo Zagreb10010


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!