Joao Felix's outstanding chip sealed a vital 1-0 win for Barcelona against Atletico Madrid in the La Liga title race on Sunday.

The Portuguese forward, presently on loan to Barca from Atletico, openly expressed his satisfaction with leaving the Spanish capital this summer and sought payback against his parent club at the Olympic Stadium.

Felix faced criticism from some Atletico players before the game, and Barca coach Xavi Hernandez urged him to use those words as motivation, which he successfully did.

Felix's goal allowed Barcelona to reclaim third place from Atletico, now trailing leaders Real Madrid and second-placed Girona by four points.

"Joao Felix said that he was calm, that it was just another game for him," Barca defender Ronald Araujo told Movistar.

"He wanted to put himself out there to score goals and give assists. The important thing is that he is happy."

Araujo expressed the squad's confidence in coach Xavi Hernandez and themselves despite the team's recent struggles.

"We know the team that we have and we believe a lot in the work we're doing with the coach," added Araujo.

"The results weren't coming, but we did well in the Champions League and knew that today we had to do it too."

Atletico has not won away against the champions in La Liga since 2006, a streak now stretching to 18 matches, but arrived thinking this could be the time to break that streak.

Since a defeat in the Clasico against Real Madrid at the end of October, Barcelona has struggled for form and confidence.

They narrowly won against Real Sociedad and Alaves despite being outplayed, lost to Shakhtar Donetsk in Europe and drew with Rayo Vallecano.

Xavi stated that Barcelona was back on track with their win over Porto earlier this week to reach the Champions League last 16, and his words were justified by a dominant first-half display.

Barcelona started well, creating chances, and Felix broke the deadlock after 28 minutes, taking a brilliant touch to navigate Nahuel Molina's challenge and then chipping the ball over Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak.

Felix celebrated with arms aloft, standing on the advertising hoardings in front of the angry visiting supporters. At the same time, Atletico coach Diego Simeone appeared disgruntled as he flashed up on the big screens.

The 24-year-old forward, a club record signing at 126 million euros ($137 million) in 2019, never settled in the capital and did not mesh with Simeone's management and playing style.

Perhaps not coincidentally, Axel Witsel was soon booked for bringing down Felix, and Koke was also cautioned for a cynical challenge on the rampaging Raphinha.

Felix came close to a second with a prodded effort from Ilkay Gündoğan's cutback, but this time Oblak denied him.

The forward called for a penalty as Hermoso stepped on his foot after the shot, but his appeals were dismissed.

Gündoğan impressed in midfield alongside fit-again duo Pedri and Frenkie de Jong as Barcelona controlled the game.

Despite their high-caliber opponents, the attendance fell short of 35,000 and was the club's poorest this season, with supporters perhaps deterred by the colder winter evenings and the late kick-off.

While Felix was on target against his former side, Atletico talisman Antoine Griezmann worked hard but couldn't find the net against his old employers – he has not scored in 14 games against Barca for the Rojiblancos.

Memphis Depay, another former Barcelona player, came closest for Atletico with a free-kick tipped over by Inaki Pena, who replaced the injured Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Robert Lewandowski should have sealed Barcelona's victory but pulled an effort wide when running in on goal.

The veteran striker has only three goals in his last 10 games for Barca across all competitions, but on this occasion, his profligacy did not cost Xavi's side.

Pena denied Angel Correa in stoppage time to ensure Atletico, in fourth place, trail Barca by three points and the top two by seven.

"The idea was to go for the game, and I don't know what happened," Atletico goalkeeper Oblak told Movistar.

"Nobody was good in the first half; nobody wanted the ball, nobody wanted to play."