As it was often the case, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo took the shine off Luis Suarez and Karim Benzema while the pair went on about their seasonal brawl. But that will change when the latter duo graces Camp Nou on Sunday in the absence of their respective attacking partners.
For Suarez and Benzema, the task ahead will undoubtedly be daunting considering the size of shoes they are to fill. However, both players should be able to draw inspiration from their stellar start to the league this season.
Beginning with Barcelona's marksman, the Uruguayan approaches Sunday's clash with four goals in nine league matches so far. Standing as the total return accumulated from 23 shots, Suarez's goal per game conversion rate is placed at 0.4.
While the ex-Liverpool man has directly had a hand in other goals with his four assists, the records suggest that he has also been wasted nine big goalscoring opportunities. Against Real Madrid, the Uruguayan forward is a known assailant considering he has managed six goals in his last nine appearances.
His opposite number Karim Benzema, on the other hand, has also been involved in 16 goals in 28 appearances for Real Madrid against their archrivals. In La Liga, the former Lyon star has scored nine goals and has assisted seven times against the Blaugrana.
The Frenchman currently possesses a decent return of four goals in nine league games this season and will hope to add to his tally coming to Camp Nou. Comparatively, the striker has only provided an assist for a Real Madrid goal.
Unlike his rival Suarez, the 30-year-old forward has made waste of just a single big goal scoring opportunity. Having upped his status as the fourth player on the Champions League's all-time top goalscorers' list by netting in the 2-1 win over Viktoria Plzen, there should be enough confidence for him to be a nuisance coming up against Barca on Sunday.
Benzema's average goal conversion rate per game is set at 0.4 while his shot per game ratio is at 1.6.
