Hansi Flick's Barcelona stun Atletico in epic comeback clash in La Liga

The Catalans had stumbled in their two previous encounters with Atletico this season, but this time they roared back from a 2-0 deficit to claim a win that sent them back to the summit of the Spanish top flight.

Atletico looked set to pile on more misery for Barcelona when Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth struck to give the hosts a commanding lead with just 20 minutes remaining. But Barcelona refused to buckle, unleashing a four-goal blitz, two in stoppage time, to snatch the points and draw level with Real Madrid at the top, while opening a four-point gap over Atletico.

"It was time to win after three matches against them," Flick said in his post-match press conference. "The quality was there, and for the fans, whether at the stadium or watching on TV, it was an incredible game."

The fightback began with a stunning Robert Lewandowski strike in the 72nd minute, igniting hope. Substitute Ferran Torres then nodded in the equaliser six minutes later, before teenage sensation Lamine Yamal flipped the game on its head in the 92nd minute. Torres sealed the deal with his second in the dying moments, capping a night of pure drama.

Torres, reflecting on the win, underlined its importance ahead of the international break. "Going into the break with a victory and top of the table was huge," he said. "Plus, we've got a game in hand. It's a massive boost for when we return to push on and stretch our lead in the title race." Barcelona's next outing sees them host Girona on March 30.

But Yamal admitted there's still work to do. "Intensity was lacking early on," he said. "We were too passive until they scored twice. That's something we've got to fix, it happened in the Copa del Rey too. Iron out these details, and we're closer to being the perfect team."

Flick couldn't hide his delight at the turnaround. "The reaction after their second goal was unreal," he said. "Scoring four in 20 minutes against a side like Atletico is massive. I'm proud of this team, their mentality is top-notch. They never give up, and today was a great day for us."

Barcelona's resurgence is no fluke, they've now won seven straight La Liga games and remain unbeaten in 18 across all competitions. Their trophy cabinet has already welcomed the Spanish Supercopa this season, while they've stormed into the Champions League quarter-finals against Borussia Dortmund and are still in the hunt in the Copa del Rey, where they'll face Atletico again in April's semi-final second leg after a 4-4 first-leg draw.

Flick shrugged off talk of a potential Quadruple but admitted the win was a statement. "It's a long road, but this team can achieve huge things," he said. "Today's result gives us even more belief."

Atletico boss Diego Simeone, meanwhile, vowed his side would keep battling for their first La Liga crown since 2020-21. "We'll fight to the end," he said. "Ten games left, we've got to win them all. It's about hard work, not luck. Credit to Barcelona, they were the better team tonight."

Barcelona's official X account hailed the comeback, posting: "From 2-0 down to 4-2 up, what a night at the Metropolitano! This team never stops fighting." Flick also took to X, writing: "Proud of the lads, unbelievable spirit and quality. Onward and upward!"

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