Real Madrid will not hold back in El Clasico against Barcelona at Camp Nou on Sunday as they bid to close a nine-point gap with their arch-rivals at the top of La Liga.

Barca would take a huge step towards winning their first title for four years by beating the champions for the third time in a row.

“We will play attacking football on Sunday. Without taking risks, we will go out on attack,” Real manager Carlo Ancelotti told a news conference on Saturday.

“The team have been doing very well, we are in a good moment, mentally as well. But we have also improved a lot technically and tactically.”

Sunday will be the second of three clashes in a little over a month.

After losing 3-1 to their main rivals in the Super Cup final, Real were beaten 1-0 in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final by a Barcelona side with a pragmatic defensive game plan.

Barca have won 21 of their 25 league matches this season.