Ahead of the first El Clasico of the season, Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman said on Saturday his side cannot be afraid of Real Madrid when the two teams meet during the weekend.

“We have to play without fear,” the Barcelona coach said, according to Associated Press inputs. “We have to show that we can win and that we will be motivated to win from the start.”

It will also be the first El Clasico since Lionel Messi left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain. Meanwhile, Messi’s departure has left a gaping hole in the Barca unit that has been struggling on and off the field since then.

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Barcelona defeated Valencia in the Spanish league last weekend and Dynamo Kyiv on Wednesday in a key victory that kept its Champions League group stage hopes alive for the first time in two decades.

The encounter against Real Madrid concludes a three-game home run that Koeman has described as crucial to the club’s success this season.

“We have good momentum after these two victories,” he said, “and we are very motivated to show that we can win this important match in front of our fans. Hopefully the stadium will be packed and it will be a good atmosphere.”

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Meanwhile, the attendance at the Camp Nou stadium has been another issue that has bothered the club. 

Less than 50,000 people attended the team’s past two matches, about half the capacity of the Camp Nou, which was usually nearly full when Messi was still playing there.

Koeman will likely count on defender Jordi Alba, who made the squad for the clásico despite earlier being listed as doubtful because of an ankle injury.

Barcelona sits in seventh place in the Spanish league standings, two points behind third-place Madrid, which is coming off a much-needed 5-0 victory at Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League following consecutive losses against Sheriff at home in the European competition and at Espanyol in the league.

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Meanwhile, Real Madrid gaffer Carlo Ancelotti said it’s fine to be afraid ahead of these matches.

“Fear is something that happens,” he said. “Sometimes you think about it before a game, sometimes before a training session, sometimes afterward. It’s a fairly constant thing and it’s good. Fortunately, I’m not terrified. I never am before a game because I always think there are worse things in life than losing a football match.”

Ancelotti has included both Eden Hazard and Dani Carvajal in the squad for Sunday’s match despite recent injuries.

With inputs from the Associated Press