It's been some battle - with some glorious moments along the way - but the ultimate race between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo may soon be coming to an end. The world's best two players have been going head-to-head to break Raul's all-time Champions League goal record - which stands at a whopping 71. Messi has to be the firm favourite to overtake Raul first by sheer virtue of the fact that his Barcelona side take on Apoel Nicosia the night before Real Madrid play Basle later this month, and he is also one goal ahead of his rival. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are battling it out to reach the top of the Champions League scoring charts on their own . Messi lining up a strike on goal against Ajax in the Champions League on Wednesday night - he scored twice in a 2-0 victory . Messi celebrates with Barca team-mate Pedro after scoring against Ajax in the Champions League . The Argentina international celebrates scoring four goals against Arsenal in April 2010 at the Nou Camp . Joint 1st: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) - 71 goals; Raul (Real Madrid, Schalke) - 71 . 3rd: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United, Real Madrid) - 70 . 4th: Ruud van Nistelrooy (PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Real Madrid) - 56 . 5th: Thierry Henry (Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona) - 50 . Messi drew level with the Real Madrid legend Raul having scored a double in Barcelona's 2-0 win against Ajax on Wednesday night. The Barcelona star  reached the total - despite playing 52 fewer games. Ronaldo had a chance to to equal Raul's record before Messi as he was named in the Madrid side who faced a makeshift Liverpool side a day earlier. But Karim Benzema scored the only goal of the game as 29-year-old Ronaldo drew a blank. Real and Barcelona have already safely booked their passage through to the last 16 of the Champions League so the attention turns to Raul's record in the next round of fixtures for the Spanish giants. Ronaldo, who recently won the Golden Shoe, has also taken 147 games more to score 400 career goals, with Messi reaching the same total in just 506 games. However, the former Manchester United forward only took 140 games to score 150 La Liga goals, whereas it took Messi 203 games to reach that tally. Whatever happens it is set to be a truly remarkable climax to this latest duel between the two, but if Messi does set a new all-time Champions League scoring record before Ronaldo, the debate will still rage on as to who is the greatest of the two. Ronaldo was unable to equal Raul's Champions League goals record as he failed to score against Liverpool at the Bernabeu . Ronaldo failed to score for just the third time this season during Tuesday night's Champions League clash . Real Madrid legend Raul celebrates after scoring in the Champions League final at Hampden Park in 2002 . VIDEO All Star XI: Lionel Messi highlights .
Lionel Messi equalled Raul's all-time Champions League scoring record with a double against Ajax on Wednesday .
The Barcelona forward has now scored 71 goals in the competition .
Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo failed to find the net against Liverpool on Tuesday night and remains on 70 .
Barcelona face Apoel Nicosia a day before Real Madrid take on Basle in the next round of matches .
It's been some battle - with some glorious moments along the way - but the ultimate race between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo may soon be coming to an end. The world's best two players have been going head-to-head to break Raul's all-time Champions League goal record - which stands at a whopping 71. Messi has to be the firm favourite to overtake Raul first by sheer virtue of the fact that his Barcelona side take on Apoel Nicosia the night before Real Madrid play Basle later this month, and he is also one goal ahead of his rival. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are battling it out to reach the top of the Champions League scoring charts on their own . Messi lining up a strike on goal against Ajax in the Champions League on Wednesday night - he scored twice in a 2-0 victory . Messi celebrates with Barca team-mate Pedro after scoring against Ajax in the Champions League . The Argentina international celebrates scoring four goals against Arsenal in April 2010 at the Nou Camp . Joint 1st: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) - 71 goals; Raul (Real Madrid, Schalke) - 71 . 3rd: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United, Real Madrid) - 70 . 4th: Ruud van Nistelrooy (PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Real Madrid) - 56 . 5th: Thierry Henry (Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona) - 50 . Messi drew level with the Real Madrid legend Raul having scored a double in Barcelona's 2-0 win against Ajax on Wednesday night. The Barcelona star  reached the total - despite playing 52 fewer games. Ronaldo had a chance to to equal Raul's record before Messi as he was named in the Madrid side who faced a makeshift Liverpool side a day earlier. But Karim Benzema scored the only goal of the game as 29-year-old Ronaldo drew a blank. Real and Barcelona have already safely booked their passage through to the last 16 of the Champions League so the attention turns to Raul's record in the next round of fixtures for the Spanish giants. Ronaldo, who recently won the Golden Shoe, has also taken 147 games more to score 400 career goals, with Messi reaching the same total in just 506 games. However, the former Manchester United forward only took 140 games to score 150 La Liga goals, whereas it took Messi 203 games to reach that tally. Whatever happens it is set to be a truly remarkable climax to this latest duel between the two, but if Messi does set a new all-time Champions League scoring record before Ronaldo, the debate will still rage on as to who is the greatest of the two. Ronaldo was unable to equal Raul's Champions League goals record as he failed to score against Liverpool at the Bernabeu . Ronaldo failed to score for just the third time this season during Tuesday night's Champions League clash . Real Madrid legend Raul celebrates after scoring in the Champions League final at Hampden Park in 2002 . VIDEO All Star XI: Lionel Messi highlights .
Nicosia the night before Real Madrid play Basle of his rival. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo Joint 1st: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) - 71 goals; Raul having scored a double in Barcelona's 2-0 win against Ajax on Wednesday night. The attention turns to Raul's record in the next all-time Champions League scoring record before failed to score against Liverpool at the Bernabeu