'Everyone needs this break!' - Hansi Flick grateful for Christmas holiday after Barcelona extend run to one win in seven La Liga games with Atletico Madrid defeat

Barcelona were stunned by a last-minute Alexander Sorloth winner on Saturday night that saw Atletico overhaul them at the top of La Liga. The two sides could not be on more contrasting patches of form with the victory meaning Diego Simeone's side have now won 12 consecutive games in all competitions, a record Flick's Barcelona can only dream of right now as they stumbled to one win in their last seven games to close out the first half of the season. The winter break comes at a good time for Barcelona who can regroup before they slide any further off the top.

Speaking after the game, Flick said: "Now it's a break and I think everyone needs this break. After the break we will train and we will show how strong we are.

"For us now, we are all disappointed about this defeat because we played fantastic. Now we will celebrate Christmas, start training on 29 December and focus on what we can do in the next half of the season."

There is work to be done in the second half of the season for Flick and his team with Atletico now three points clear at the top with a game in hand. Real Madrid also sit just one point behind them, with two games in hand - the first of which comes at home on Sunday against Sevilla. Barcelona could enter 2025 in third place knowing they will have to improve on their first half of the season if they are to win the title. They will also be hopeful to secure automatic qualification to the round of 16 in the Champions League to avoid playing two extra games in the competition.

As Flick explained, Barcelona will take a week-long break over Christmas before returning to training on 29 December ahead of their first game back against Barbastro in the Copa del Rey. They then take on Athletic Club in the Spanish Super Cup before they finally return to La Liga action with a trip to Getafe on 18 January.