The Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona is less than a week away.

Goaltenders, defenders and midfielders will all play major roles in winning this massive game.

And, of course, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will also play huge roles. But what about the remaining forwards on these teams? Which side has the better collection?

Barcelona

Lionel Messi is undoubtedly the main man to lead Barcelona's attack. His seven goals and seven assists in the Spanish League have emphasized that the small Argentine does not need to put the ball in the net all the time to be effective. He is more than happy to help his friends out and spread the wealth. And it has helped his side blossom with victory after victory. He is a terrific passer and his dribbling makes him almost impossible to defend against.

But Messi is no longer the only threat for Barcelona. A year ago, Neymar struggled to assert himself with the team. That is a thing of the past as the Brazilian leads Barcelona with eight goals on the year. He seems to have the confidence of the team, and especially Messi, who has factored into almost every single goal that Neymar has scored this year. Neymar's speed will be a huge cause for concern for Madrid's defense and he seems to get better and better every week.

Barcelona's arsenal of forwards also include Munir El Haddadi, Sandro and Pedro Rodriguez.

But the other big fish is Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan, most famous for biting opponents, is also a tremendous goal scorer who led the Premier League a season ago. His suspension, which dates back to June, will be up on Sunday when he will likely start for Barcelona in the Clasico.

He should be lethal and his big body will give the opposition some difficulty. But will he be ready for the big match? He has not seen action against top sides thus far with the top team and could have some trouble adjusting in such a vicious environment. If he is on his game, then Madrid could be in for a long night.

Real Madrid

Cristiano Ronaldo needs no introduction. Not when he is scoring 15 goals in seven Spanish League matches looking unstoppable with the ball on his feet. What more is there to say about the Portuguese giant when his performances are telling the whole story.

But Ronaldo does not operate on his own. Alongside him is Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, both terrific players in their own right.

Benzema's scoring is a bit inconsistent, but the Frenchman does more than just put the ball in the net. He is a master of the hold-up play and he also makes nifty passes to help Ronaldo find space and score. Moreover, he is terrific in the air and did punish Barcelona in last year's Clasico with two goals. His play will be essential in this game as he will have to draw as much attention away from Ronaldo as possible. If Ronaldo gets all the defenders' attention, then Benzema will be the man charged with finding the leftover space and finishing his chances. He cannot have any blunders like the one he had against Atletico Madrid earlier this season.

The problem for Madrid's attack is that Gareth Bale will not be around to provide his magic for the team.

Who Has the Edge?

 Ronaldo and Benzema vs. Messi, Neymar, Suarez? This is what people pay to see. But which side is truly better? On one side you have three of the best attackers in the world. And on the other you have two of the best attackers in the world. With Bale, this is a dead heat. Without him, Barcelona has the edge.

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