Akin Ayomide
Barcelona produced an impressive comeback to beat Atletico Madrid 3-1 on Tuesday and move four points clear at the top of La Liga.
Alex Baena fired Atletico ahead but Raphinha equalised for the champions before Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres slotted home to end the visitors’ run of 13 straight league games without defeat.
Barca might have been more comfortable had Robert Lewandowski not ballooned a first half penalty over the bar.
Real Madrid, second, visit Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday aiming to peg Barca back, while Diego Simeone’s Atletico are fourth, six points behind the Catalans.
This was Barca’s fifth consecutive Liga win after losing the Clasico against Madrid in October, but they have not shone consistently in that period, and coming against a title rival this display gave Flick’s side a welcome boost.
They were without defender Ronald Araujo, who is taking a mental health break according to Spanish reports, along with ill midfielder Frenkie de Jong and the longer-term absentees.
After a 3-0 thrashing at Chelsea last week in the Champions League, followed by a shaky win over Alaves to claim pole position in La Liga, nerves were jangling at Camp Nou.
Following a tense start, Atletico took the lead with, predictably, a ball in behind Barcelona’s persistently high defensive line.
Baena scampered through on goal and beat Joan Garcia, barely celebrating because he could sense the linesman’s raised flag behind him.
However a VAR review showed the Spaniard was level with Pau Cubarsi when he broke and the goal was reinstated.
Barcelona responded rapidly and levelled in the 26th minute when Pedri, back fit to start, played in Raphinha.
The Brazilian winger, another player recently back from injury, took the ball around Jan Oblak and slid it into the empty net.
Barca should have taken the lead but Lewandowski spurned a penalty, blazing high and wide of Oblak’s goal after Pablo Barrios brought down Dani Olmo.
The Polish veteran almost made amends moments later but Oblak brilliantly clawed out his header from Lamine Yamal’s cross.
Raphinha pulled an effort wide early in the second half when he should have hit the target and Giuliano Simeone could not get a clean shot away with the goal beckoning at the other end.
– Olmo’s sacrifice –
Olmo, who netted twice against Alaves on Saturday, sent Barcelona ahead with a slick finish after Lewandowski managed to bundle the ball into his path.
Olmo, a playmaker who has struggled for consistency at Barca amid various physical problems, sustained a shoulder injury as he scored and was replaced by Marcus Rashford.
Pedri, who was controlling the game for Barca also went down hurt after 70 minutes and Flick replaced him, with fans left hoping it was only a scare ahead of next week’s important Champions League match against Frankfurt.
Atletico substitute Thiago Almada had his team’s best chance of equalising but after bursting across the penalty area he lost balance and screwed his finish wide as Joan Garcia scrambled.
Oblak saved from Rashford in stoppage time before Alejandro Balde found Torres to cap Barca’s win and claim his side three vital points in the title race while dealing Atletico’s own ambitions a blow.