Barcelona achieved their first goal before the international break, beating Atlético Madrid at the Metropolitano to keep their place at the top of La Liga and dispel doubts about their ability to beat the big sides.
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Coach Hansi Flick had said on Saturday that his team's aim was to enter the international break top of the table, while warning how difficult the match against Atlético Madrid would be.
Flick's prediction proved accurate. Barcelona had to come from behind against Diego Simeone's side before securing the points.
Barcelona went into the match amid fears they would repeat their failures against Europe's top clubs, having lost to Paris Saint-Germain under Luis Enrique in the Champions League, and then to Real Madrid under José Mourinho in a Spanish league Clásico.
However, the Catalan side overcame those setbacks and showed the two defeats were not a sign of an ongoing crisis, especially after their two big wins over Alavés and Aston Villa.
Still, the match against Atlético Madrid was a more significant test, given the strength of the opponent and the nature of the title race.
The win was more than three points for Barcelona. It carried important tactical and morale significance, confirming the team's ability to get the better of top opponents and restoring their physical, technical and mental sharpness after disappointing results two weeks earlier.
Barcelona also achieved their main aim of holding onto first place before the international break, a goal the players and coaching staff had set as a priority.
Atlético Madrid had threatened Barcelona's position at the top, but their defeat to the Catalan side dropped them to third place.
Real Madrid moved up to second, three points behind Barcelona at the top.
Barcelona have continued their outstanding form in La Liga this season, winning 11 of their 12 matches. They have scored 48 goals and conceded 13, figures that reflect their formidable attacking strength.
Barcelona are known for reaching the opponent's goal repeatedly, even against teams with strong defensive organisation. That was clear against Atlético Madrid, where the Catalan side found the net twice against one of the best defences in the league.
Atlético had conceded just 10 goals in their 12 matches, the same total as Real Madrid, meaning the two teams share the league's best defensive record.
Despite that solidity, Barcelona came from behind to secure an important win, showing that their attacking threat is not limited to matches against weaker sides.
Spanish midfielder Fermín López was the outstanding player on the night, scoring both Barcelona goals and leading his team to a comeback win.
The Andalusian player expressed his happiness at the victory and at keeping top spot, but acknowledged the difficulty of the match against Atlético Madrid.
Fermín said: "It was an extremely difficult match. We knew it would be, as they beat us last year in the Copa del Rey and the Champions League."
He added: "Their goal was to make things difficult for us, but we managed to come back, and I think we played a brilliant game, especially in the second half." He continued: "The goal gave us a morale boost that we really needed."
Barcelona's second goal, which settled the match, came from a fine combination between Fermín López and young teammate Lamine Yamal.
Yamal provided the decisive pass that allowed Fermín to score the winner, confirming the strong understanding between the two players on the pitch.
Fermín praised his partnership with Yamal and expressed his hope that it would continue in the coming matches. He said: "We have to keep building on this understanding. We know each other well, and the pass he gave me for the second goal was like half a goal. We have to keep adding to our tally."
The match against Atlético Madrid carried extra significance for Fermín López, as it was his 100th league appearance for Barcelona.
He celebrated the occasion in the best possible way, scoring two goals that helped secure a valuable away win.
Fermín revealed that he has kept the shirt he wore in the first half, leaving it in the dressing room at half-time, because he wants to keep it as a souvenir of the occasion. He explained that the shirt is an important memento for him, as he wore it in the match in which he reached 100 appearances in the Spanish league and scored a double.
He gave the shirt he wore in the second half to a fan in the stands, who had held up a banner dedicated to him.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick responded to questions about his team's ability to perform in the big games, saying: "I believe in my team, and I'm 100% convinced of it, and of the way we want to play football."
Flick acknowledged that Barcelona did not show the required intensity at the start of the match against Atlético Madrid, pointing out that the opposing side were more present in the one-on-one challenges and individual duels, which gave the hosts the advantage in the early minutes.
He said: "For me, it's about the intensity we have on the pitch, and that wasn't there at the beginning. You had the feeling Atlético were more involved in the match, and more present in one-on-one situations and duels, while we weren't."
He added that Barcelona's return to the match and their equaliser before half-time were important factors in changing the course of the game, and stressed that his team took control after the break and delivered the performance he had hoped for.
Flick described the win over Atlético as extremely important. He said his team had not produced the expected level in the first half but improved greatly in the second, taking control of the match, which made the victory deserved in his view.
The German coach also spoke about Frenkie de Jong's role at right-back. He revealed that the player was ready to fill that position if the team needed him, after they had discussed it before the previous match.
Flick explained that the plan was for De Jong to play 50 minutes on the right, and to be replaced when he felt tired. He said things had gone according to the plan, and he considered the decision to be correct.
Flick concluded by saying Barcelona would continue to work according to their philosophy, relying on the quality of their players and his confidence in their ability to carry out the style of football he is trying to establish. It was a message reflecting his commitment to his project despite the criticism that followed the defeats to Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.
On the other side, Atlético Madrid captain Koke identified the reason for his team's defeat to Barcelona. He said: "What was missing? Efficiency. The team put in a great first half. We had more chances, but they scored from a counter-attack just before half-time. That's football. They were more precise in taking their chances. There's nothing my team can be criticised for."
He continued: "The team played well after the break. We had a chance for Julián. Nothing much happened in the match, and a 2-1 score was painful for us."
He concluded: "I'm looking forward to the next match. Let's all give our best, both those who will travel with their national teams and those who will stay."
