The Rojiblancos go into Saturday's massive match at Montjuic having won their last 11 games in a row in all competitions
Atletico Madrid's 1-0 loss at Real Betis on October 27 was their first La Liga defeat of the season, and yet it felt as if the wheels were coming off Diego Simeone's side. Despite a stunning summer spending spree, the Rojiblancos were only fourth in the Spanish standings – and an embarrassing 10 points behind leaders Barcelona.
Just under two months on, though, Atleti only trail the Blaugrana on goal difference – despite having played one game fewer – and will go into the winter break top of the table if they defeat their Catalan rivals at Montjuic on Saturday.
So, how on earth have Atletico done it? How has Simeone turned what looked like the end of his era into an incredible opportunity to claim the third title of his 13-year tenure?
AFPBarca's baffling implosion
Obviously, Atleti have been aided by Barca's dramatic dip in form. The Blaugrana made a sensational start to the season, winning 11 of their first 12 league games to open up a nine-point lead over Real Madrid, whom they had routed 4-0 in the first Clasico of the season at Santiago Bernabeu, on October 26.
However, Hansi Flick's side have managed just one victory since then, and lost three of their past six games, allowing Atleti to draw level and Real to close to within a point. It's not as if Barca have been beaten by top teams either; two of those three losses have come at home to Las Palmas and Leganes, who are 14th and 15th in the table, respectively.
Nobody saw Barca's slump coming either, as it coincided with the return of a number of key players from injury. At one point it was argued that they had become overly reliant on Lamine Yamal, but his brief return to full fitness didn't actually halt the slide.
Barca's poor La Liga form is made even more difficult to comprehend by the fact that they are still flying in the Champions League – and only last week recorded a thrilling 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park.
At times, they have looked guilty of complacency – Pedri admitted to that they "started off a bit asleep" against Leganes – and Flick has also accused his team of a lack of fight in certain games. It's also clear that Barca's high pressing and high line are no longer functioning as fluidly as they were earlier in the season, with Flick lamenting the fact that "some players are disconnected". The coach is also copping criticism for failing to resolve in-game issues, with the accusation being that his substitutions appear pre-planned rather than reactive, and he's starting to feel the heat – as illustrated by his suspension for lashing out at the referee during the recent 2-2 draw at Betis.
Whatever the exact reasons for Barca's blip (it's arguably a combination of all of the above), the one thing we do know is that they won't be looking forward to facing the most in-form team in Europe right now, particularly with Yamal sidelined once again by another ankle injury.
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Atleti bought quite a few high-profile players during the summer, but Julian Alvarez was unquestionably their statement signing. The Rojiblancos agreed a €95 million (£82m/$104m) deal with Manchester City for the World Cup winner.
Pep Guardiola clearly wasn't best pleased to lose Alvarez, but it's easy to understand why his employers felt it was too good a bid to turn down. The struggling English champions are regretting it now, though, while Atleti fans are starting to believe that Alvarez might just prove worth such a lofty transfer fee.
Questions were asked of the Argentina international during the first few months of the season. Atleti drew four of their first nine games in La Liga – and Alvarez only scored in three of those. However, he's started to find his feet over the past few months, with his upturn in form coinciding with Atleti's run of 11 consecutive victories in all competitions. Indeed, eight of Alvarez's 12 goals this season have come since Atleti's last loss, against Betis.
"He just needed time," Simeone told . "He's developed in terms of his ability to interpret and understand how Atletico plays. He comes from a different style in Argentina, and also a totally different style at City, so he needed to adjust. But now all of his attributes are doing our team a lot of good."
Evergreen Griezmann
Alvarez has also benefitted enormously from having Antoine Griezmann alongside him. The Frenchman may be 33 now, but he remains a truly fantastic footballer, an all-round talent who works for and improves those around him.
He's also clearly benefitting from the difficult decision to retire from international football, with Griezmann currently enjoying one of the most prolific patches of his recent career, with seven goals in his last six outings.
Two of those arrived in the final half hour of a stirring win over Sevilla as Atleti came from 3-2 down to triumph 4-3 thanks to a wonderful 94th-minute winner that showcased Griezmann's famed ingenuity and phenomenal first touch.
“We all know the class Antoine has," Alvarez recently enthused. "Because of everything he's given to this club, and to football in general, it's a pleasure to play with him."
Getty Images SportDe Paul finally delivering
Simeone's greatest Atleti sides were renowned for their defensive strength, but there has been an undoubted attempt to embrace a more expansive, offensive style in recent years. It's not proven an easy balance to achieve, but the Rojiblancos do appear to be getting there.
There were some shocking displays during the first few months of the season, most notably in the atrocious Champions League loss to Benfica in Lisbon, with goalkeeper Jan Oblak admitting afterwards to UEFA's official site, "We were beaten 4-0 but it could have been more!" Fortunately, Atleti have played with more of their famed doggedness and determination over the past couple of months.
Rodrigo De Paul, Lionel Messi's bodyguard, has played a big role, with the Argentine forming a strong midfield partnership with the 21-year-old Pablo Barrios, whose excellent form earned him a first Spain cap last month.
De Paul has long had the makings of a world-class player, of course. The issue has been an inability to deliver on a regular basis.
"We've always known his quality," Simeone told reporters after the 6-0 demolition of Slovan Bratislava. "He's shown his quality with the Argentina national team but, with Atleti, there were good moments and moments where he could improve.
"In this recent period, though, we're seeing more consistency, and he is a player who’s tremendously important for us as he sees things differently. He works hard but he also has that final ball that few players can offer. He can also score goals with that ability of his to strike a ball cleanly."