Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick expressed his delight after his side staged a stunning comeback to defeat Atlético Madrid 4-2 at the Metropolitano on Sunday night.

The victory was especially significant, as Barça had failed to beat Atlético in their two previous meetings this season.

For much of the match, it seemed like another frustrating night was on the cards for the Blaugrana. Goals from Julián Álvarez and Alexander Sørloth had put Atlético 2-0 up with just 20 minutes to play, leaving Barça with a mountain to climb.

However, in a breathtaking turnaround, Barcelona struck four times—including twice in stoppage time—to snatch all three points. The dramatic win propelled them back to the top of LaLiga, level on points with Real Madrid and four points clear of Atlético.

Flick was thrilled with his team’s response and admitted the victory had been long overdue.

“It was time to win after three matches [against Atlético],” he said in his post-match press conference.

The German tactician also highlighted the quality of the game and how entertaining it must have been for the fans.

“The quality was good. I think the match today for the supporters, the fans, for everyone in front of a television, it was an amazing match.”

“The reaction after second Atlético goal was unbelievable,” Flick added. “To score four goals in 20 minutes here against this team is very good.

“I am proud of this team. The mentality is really good. They never give up. The reaction on the pitch was unbelievable. It was a great day for us today.

“You can feel [the spirit] and see it in training. We want to train how we want to play. [The players] do it really good.

“At the moment, we have huge confidence in the way we want to play. Atlético are a fantastic team. They defend well. But my team today was the better team.”

Barcelona’s remarkable fightback not only reaffirmed their title credentials but also sent a strong message to their rivals as the season approaches its decisive stages.