Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone highlighted his side's resilience after his team beat Barcelona 2-1 — its 12th straight win in all competitions — and climbed to the top of La Liga on Saturday.

Simeone acknowledged Barca was the better side for much of the game and highlighted his players' fighting spirit, after they rallied from a goal down to pick up Atletico's first win away to the Catalans since 2006, five years before his arrival at the club.

"I'm very happy with the team's effort. We were humble enough to suffer and to defend against a team that plays very well. In the first half, and I think until our goal, they were far superior to us," Simeone told reporters.

"Then, I think we started to find our feet a bit in the game, and we saw that we could compete. The team managed to hold on."

Simeone pointed to his substitutes as the key to securing the hard-fought victory against a Barcelona side which is now second, three points off the pace having played a game more.

The Argentine manager took off talisman Antoine Griezmann and brought on Alexander Sorloth up front in the 73rd minute, a decision that paid off, as the Norwegian scored a last-gasp winner off an Atletico counterattack.

"That's what a team is, when one player comes off, and another player comes on and gives a response," Simeone said.

"We took Griezmann off early, which is difficult for me, but I knew that Sorloth had something that could make us come out from the back to hold the ball.

"I think the substitutions gave us strength. Some attacking situations that you can find on the counterattack, an exquisite play, a great goal by Sorloth that gave us the chance to win a very difficult game."

Simeone also praised his goalkeeper Jan Oblak after his saves prevented Barca from extending its lead after the break. "We have a great goalkeeper who played a defining role in the match," he said.

Mid-season stumble

Barcelona started the season in superb form, but has stumbled in recent weeks and has now won just one of its last seven league games.

This was its third consecutive home league defeat, its worst such run since 1987.

"It's inexplicable... we had the game in our hands and we didn't take advantage," said Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi.

"It's truly a tough defeat to take, when you don't finish a game, this is what can happen," Barcelona's Pedri told Movistar.

"We have the break now to reset mentally and physically."

Barcelona, missing injured teenage star Lamine Yamal, controlled the first half and suffocated Atletico with its press.

"We will fight for everything, we will fight for every point to win this (league)," insisted Barca boss, Hansi Flick, who said he was pleased with the performance, despite the result.

"This is how we want to play in the future, so we will take this and bring it with us into next year."

Barcelona took the lead after 30 minutes with Pedri both the architect and scorer of the goal.

The Spain midfielder burst forward with the ball and fed Gavi, who tried to turn and inadvertently nudged the ball back to the surging Pedri, who entered the box and slotted past Oblak.

Barcelona should have doubled its lead early in the second half, with Fermin Lopez denied by Oblak's legs, before Raphinha hit the crossbar.

Pedri played in the Brazilian winger with a fine pass over the top, but Raphinha lofted the ball over the goalkeeper and it struck the woodwork on its way down.

Moments later Atletico was level, with Marc Casado's misguided back-heel clearance falling to Rodrigo De Paul on the edge of the area.

The in-form Argentine midfielder finished with a firm, low effort into the bottom corner for his third goal in his last four league games.

Deep in stoppage time, Nahuel Molina crossed for super-sub Sorloth to blast home and ensure Atletico will be sitting atop the La Liga tree at Christmas.

New year, new outlook

Flick urged his side to move on and come back stronger after the winter break.

He also insisted his team delivered a good performance, and expected the winter break to help it regain its early season form.

"Today, it was unbelievable how we played. Maybe this break came at the right time," Flick told reporters after the loss.

"I appreciate how we played, but we have to learn from these things. Losing nine points is not normal, and we have to work on it.

"The points lost against Las Palmas and Leganes are in the past. We will show after the break how strong we are. We are very disappointed with the defeat, but life goes on."

In spite of its latest setbacks, the former Bayern Munich coach said he was proud of his young team, and will work to restore its confidence.

"When I drive to training at 6:30 am, I am happy because I can train with these players. Now, there is not a good atmosphere in the dressing room, but that's football. We will be back for sure," he said.

"We have to build confidence and make them proud of how they play. My job is to give confidence to all the players.

"In Munich there was another team with a lot of experienced players, but I'm happy with this team, it's young and has fantastic quality."

Agencies