Atletico Madrid lived up to their reputation as Barcelona's bogey team when they ended the Spanish champions' 14-match winning run in the league with an emphatic 3-1 victory at the Nou Camp on Sunday.
A classy double from Fernando Torres, which took the striker's tally to six goals in four games against Barca, and another from in-form Argentine Maxi Rodriguez allowed Atletico to complete the double over the Catalans this season.
Last season, Atletico were the only team to beat Barca at the Nou Camp and they also held them to a 1-1 draw in Madrid.
The victory, Atletico's third in a row, provided further confirmation of their revival under new coach Pepe Murcia, who replaced Carlos Bianchi last month.
The defeat ended a miserable week for Frank Rijkaard's side, who were knocked out of the King's Cup by Real Zaragoza.
"We suffered out there today," said the Dutchman. "We now have to react and find a way to bounce back from this so that we can rediscover our form."
With their only defeats coming against Atletico this season, Barca still enjoy a handsome nine-point lead over Valencia at the top of the table.
Valencia extended their unbeaten league run to 11 matches after a stunning 45-metre strike from leading scorer David Villa gave them a 1-0 win at Deportivo Coruna on Saturday.
Real Madrid, who crushed Espanyol 4-0 on Saturday, are third, a point behind Valencia and level with Osasuna who claimed their first win in five outings with a 1-0 victory at Sevilla in Sunday's late match.
MISSING PLAYERS
Without leading striker Samuel Eto'o and World Player of the Year Ronaldinho, who between them have scored 29 goals this season, Barca struggled to find their usual rhythm against a rejuvenated Atletico.
It came as little surprise then that Torres put the visitors ahead when he clipped in with his left after Maxi had outjumped two defenders to nod an Ariel Ibagaza cross into his path in the 33rd minute.
Maxi made it 2-0 two minutes after the break when he steered in from three metres after Bulgarian winger Martin Petrov had sent a low cross into the area following a scorching run down the left.
Although Henrik Larsson pulled a goal back for the home side with an instinctive close-range finish midway through the half, Torres killed off all hopes of a comeback when he curled a shot round Victor Valdes after another headed assist from Maxi.
Earlier on Sunday, Real Betis striker Dani scored a hat-trick but ended up on the losing side when his team went down 4-3 at Real Zaragoza.
Victor Munoz's side stormed into a 4-0 lead inside the first 22 minutes at La Romareda, Argentine striker Diego Milito weighing in with a neat double.
Dani began the fightback when he turned in from close range immediately after the restart and the pint-sized striker grabbed two more early in the second half to make it 4-3, but his efforts were ultimately in vain.
Defeat left the Andalucians hovering three points above the relegation zone which is comprised of Athletic Bilbao, Alaves and Real Mallorca.
