Europe's most in-form team! How Atletico Madrid wiped out Barcelona's La Liga lead and made it a three-way title race

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 Movistar 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.

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 DAZN. "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."

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."

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."

While Atleti are undeniably benefiting enormously from the protection they're now getting from De Paul and Barrios in midfield, Jose Gimenez also deserves a huge amount of praise for his performances.

Like De Paul, he's struggled to realise his potential, but injuries have been a major factor in the Uruguayan centre-back's inability to become a bonafide star. Not once in his 11 years at the Metropolitano has he played more than 28 Liga games across a single campaign, but Gimenez has been injury-free so far this season and that's been key for Atleti - particularly as summer signing Robin Le Normand has only just returned to action after missing two months with a serious head injury.

It must also be said, though, that Barcelona loanee Clement Lenglet has done a far better job than anyone expected filling in for the Euro 2024 winner, and fringe players stepping up to the mark has been a regular occurrence this season - which is always a pretty good indicator of the squad's strength in depth.

Alexander Sorloth and Angel Correa have lightened the load on Alvarez and Griezmann by weighing in with important goals, while Giuliano Simeone has often made a big impact off the bench - no matter where he's been deployed by his dad.

Elsewhere, former Chelsea ace Conor Gallagher has been in and out of the starting line-up but has never been found wanting in terms of his work-rate, while Marcos Llorente still seems happy despite being constantly asked to fulfil different roles.

As Alvarez said of Atleti's winning streak, "We've been playing really well because the team as a whole is performing excellently. Everyone, even those coming off the bench, contribute." And the credit for this group mentality must obviously go to the manager.

It's not difficult to work out why players are willing to do whatever Simeone asks of them. He's a truly inspirational figure who feels football like few other coaches and has a deep-rooted bond with Atletico.

When he spoke after the come-from-behind win over Alaves on November 23 - amid ongoing rumours that this season might be his last in Madrid - he was overcome with emotion.

"I just live in the now," he explained in an interview with DAZN. "It’s a good moment, the boys are working well, taking on lots of responsibility and delivering what we want and need."

"So, I'm at peace. I'm in a place that..." Simeone said as he began to break down. "...I love very much - and that's it. Goodbye."

Nothing has happened in the interim to suggest that Simeone might actually leave next summer. If anything, Atleti's form has only made a possible exit all the more unlikely.

After all, while there are significant changes happening behind the scenes at the Metropolitano, Atleti president Enrique Cerezo publicly backed Simeone during those trying weeks in October, so why on earth would he now be considering alternatives? As Barrios said, "I can't imagine a better coach for Atletico Madrid." Just as it's hard to imagine a worse time for Barcelona to have to host Simeone's resurgent side.