They had been in a battle, they had been behind and they had been on edge, but Barcelona found a way through, holding on to their place at the top of the table and holding the doubts at bay for another day. A fortnight in which they were defeated by Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, in which they might have wondered if something was not right, ended with a 2-1 win at Atlético Madrid. This was a proper test and a proper game, 10 World Cup winners on the field and first place awaiting the winner, and at the end of an intense enjoyable night, that was Hansi Flick’s side.At a noisy Metropolitano, the atmosphere matching the occasion, against a frenetic Atlético side that went for the throat, Barcelona trailed to a Giuliano Simeone goal and for a while in a frenzied first half it looked like there may be no way back.

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