Lionel Messi has scored for the first time at the Wanda Metropolitano to lift Barcelona back to the top of La Liga with a 1-0 victory over Atletico Madrid.
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Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen made two excellent saves in an end-to-end clash which was eventually settled when Messi curled home an 86th-minute winner.
Antoine Griezmann struggled up front for Barcelona on his return to face his former side, whom he joined Barcelona from in July.
Champions Barca and Real Madrid are on 31 points from 14 games, while Atletico dropped to sixth.
"They pressed us a lot, we knew that here in front of their fans they would push us and that's how it was," Barcelona defender Sergi Roberto said.
Messi took the plaudits on Sunday after his fine stroked finish earned Barcelona the victory, but he was given the platform to do so by Ter Stegen's excellent goalkeeping.
Atletico hit the post early on when a cross was deflected against the post by Junior Firpo, before Ter Stegen pulled off a fantastic reflex save to deny Mario Hermoso from close range.
The German then clawed out Alvaro Morata's header to keep Barcelona level, while Gerard Pique nodded against the bar at the other end.
"Marc made a couple of great saves and Messi decided the game, but it's a team victory," Sergi Roberto said.
With the game heading for a draw, Messi stepped up to win it for Barcelona with a low effort after a one-two with Luis Suarez.
"I'm calm knowing the team did everything, the team gave everything," Atletico coach Diego Simeone said.
"We have to acknowledge the team has changed hugely (this summer), the most important part is scoring and we didn't do that."
Sevilla earned a 1-0 win over bottom of the table Leganes at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium to go third.
Julen Lopetegui's side, unbeaten in 10 games in all competitions, have 30 points from 15 matches.
Sevilla broke the deadlock when Diego Carlos blasted home a loose ball from close range on 63 minutes.
Athletic Bilbao climbed to fifth with a 2-0 win over Granada thanks to goals from Raul Garcia and Yuri Berchiche.
Strugglers Espanyol lost 4-2 at home to 10-man Osasuna, while Getafe thrashed Levante 4-0 to move to seventh.
Australian Associated Press
