Fermin Lopez double lifts Barcelona past Atletico and silences doubts on Flick

Barcelona trailed early at the Metropolitano on Sunday but turned the game around after the break, winning 2-1 against Atletico Madrid behind two goals from Fermin Lopez. The result keeps Flick's side three points clear of Real Madrid at the top of LaLiga heading into the international break.

"Things got difficult in the first half, but we managed to turn it around and played a great match," Fermin told Movistar+. "We weren't quite at our sharpest, but the goal helped us feel more at ease."

It landed at a useful moment. Defeats to Paris St Germain and Real Madrid in late October had dented confidence in Flick's aggressive approach, and Atletico had knocked Barcelona out of cup competitions twice last season. Another loss to Diego Simeone's team would have tested even the firmest believers.

Atletico started sharper, moving the ball quickly through Barcelona's press and repeatedly bearing down on Joan Garcia's goal, only to be let down by poor finishing. Once Barcelona wrestled back control, they kept it, and Simeone's second-half changes did nothing to shift the pattern.

Without the ball, Barcelona swiped possession back quickly; with it, they escaped Atletico's pressure and found space to play. Asked how important the win was, Flick told a press conference: "From 1-10, 10."

"We knew the fans were a bit disappointed with the two defeats, but we've made a statement," Fermin added to Barcelona club media. The three-point cushion is real, but the bigger gain may be in the minds of Flick's players.