Barcelona boss Koeman urges players to be 'fearless' vs Real Madrid ahead of El Clasico

FC Barcelona would be hosting old rivals Real Madrid at Camp Nou in Sunday's La Liga fixture. Ahead of the eagerly-awaited El Clasico clash, Barca boss Ronald Koeman has made it clear that his team cannot be afraid of their Spanish counterparts. 

It is to be noted that the Argentine football megastar Lionel Messi had parted ways with Barcelona in August this year after being associated with the club for 21 years as the 26-time La Liga winners could not pay him the stipulated amount to renew his contract owing to their financial difficulties. After Messi's departure, Barcelona has never been the same again on the field, but Ronald Koeman has exuded confidence in his players by saying that they can end up on the winning side on Sunday.

Koeman wants the hosts to be 'fearless' in the Barcelona vs Real Madrid El Clasico

"We have to play without fear. We have to show that we can win and that we will be motivated to win from the start", said Ronald Koeman during the pre-match press conference.

Barcelona vs Real Madrid: Ronald Koeman on Barca's recent winning run

FC Barcelona has had a poor season so far as they are placed at the eighth spot in the La Liga 2021/22 points table with four wins from eight matches and 15 points to their tally. However, the Spanish club has succeeded in registering two consecutive victories ahead of the blockbuster El Clasico. They defeated Valencia in last week's La Liga fixture and then got the better of Dynamo Kyiv on Wednesday in their UEFA Champions League clash. 

The victory against Dynamo Kyiv was much-needed for Barcelona as not only did it keep their UCL hopes alive but also helped them avoid elimination from the Champions League's group stage for the first time in two decades.

Speaking on Barca's splendid run recently, boss Ronald Koeman has said that he is indeed pretty much 'excited' for this contest.

"We have won our last two matches and feel good ahead of this big game. We are excited to play this game. I hope the stadium can be full or almost full and for there to be a good atmosphere. We know what we can do and we are playing at home. So, I am not scared," Koeman added.

Meanwhile, Ronald Koeman has also come up with a strategy to keep Real Madrid guessing during the El Clasico clash.

"Possession is important for us, while they play well on counter-attacks. We will have to be well organised when we have the ball and when we lose it, to control their counter-attacks", he said.

FC Barcelona's squad for the El Clasico clash against Real Madrid has been announced on their official Twitter handle.