MADRID - Barcelona star Cesc Fabregas insisted on Sunday his team will not fear Real Madrid when the first El Clasico meeting of the season takes place at the Bernabeu next weekend.

Spanish and European champion Barcelona trails its bitter rival by three points at the top of La Liga and has played a game more.

But ex-Arsenal skipper Fabregas believes a victory will be the perfect send-off before the side heads to Japan for the Club World Cup.

"We'll go at them at the Bernabeu with our usual game and without any fear. If we worry about what could happen, they are capable of being very dangerous, especially at home with their own fans behind them," he said.

"The spirit in the camp is great and we are definitely brave enough to leave Madrid with a result and that would set us up nicely for the Club World Cup in Japan."

Fabregas, who scored twice in Barca's 5-0 demolition of Levante on Saturday, also said how much a positive result in a Madrid-Barcelona game can change a season.

"We have to remember that a Clasico is very often the turning point in a season, so we'll go all-out to win and we'll not be afraid," he said.

On his own form, the Spanish international was clear on why he has managed to hit nine goals this season.

"My teammates are great, they have helped me a lot with my own game and at Barca I am able to get into a lot of forward positions in the area, which has enabled me to get those goals," he said.

On Saturday, Real Madrid defeated Sporting Gijon 3-0 to stretch its winning run to 14 games in all competitions while Valencia stayed in third place, four points behind Barcelona, after Roberto Soldado came off the bench to notch the winner in a 2-1 home win over Espanyol.

Sunday's action saw on-loan Arsenal striker Carlos Vela hit a spectacular late goal as Real Sociedad scored twice in the last two minutes to snatch a 3-2 win over Malaga.

Malaga had led 2-1 when Mexican star Vela hit the target with an overhead kick in the 89th minute before Uruguayan John Ifran grabbed the winner in injury time.

The win moved Sociedad up to 13th position and eased mounting pressure on Sociedad's French coach, Phillippe Montanier, after a run of bad results.

Agence France-Presse