Fermín twice at the Metropolitano

Barça were second best for most of the first half at the Metropolitano and still won 2–1. Julián Álvarez went through alone early on and took too many touches with only Joan García to beat. Atlético's Giuliano Simeone then scored from Álvarez's low cross, and Marc Pubill later headed against the bar for Atlético before Pedri hit the post at the other end. Fermín López equalised on the stroke of half-time when Atlético failed to clear a loose ball. In the 66th minute he ran onto a pass from Lamine Yamal and guided it past Jan Oblak. Barça were the more purposeful side after the break, and Atlético did not test García again. Real Madrid had drawn level on points on Saturday by winning 3–0 at Valencia, so a defeat would have sent Atlético into the break as leaders. Barça now have 33 points, five more than Atlético and three more than Real Madrid. Their only league defeat was the Clásico.

Aston Villa came to Camp Nou on Tuesday with three wins from three in the league phase and left without a goal. Lamine Yamal scored early, intercepting a loose pass from Villa's Emiliano Buendía and curling the ball into the far corner. The goal made him the highest scorer in Champions League history before the age of 20. For the rest of the first half Villa had the better of the counterattacks. Joan García made a run of saves, and Pedri cleared a shot from Villa's Matty Cash off the line. Raphinha scored twice after the break, first with a deflected shot from Fermín López's pass, then from close range after a run by João Cancelo. Brian Fariñas, a La Masia midfielder, started at right-back again beside Pau Cubarsí and Gerard Martín, in the same patched line that beat Alavés 6–1 three days earlier. Barça have 9 points from four matches and finished the matchday fifth in the league phase, level with Como and behind Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Arsenal.

Rodri felt discomfort against Aston Villa and went off at half-time. Tests on Wednesday showed a minor injury to his right hamstring, in the biceps femoris, and there is no return date, since his recovery depends on how the injury develops. On Saturday Hansi Flick said the choice to replace him was between Marc Bernal and Frenkie de Jong, and that Bernal was always where he needed to be without the ball. Bernal started at the Metropolitano, was booked and came off after 74 minutes. At the back, Eric García and Andreas Christensen rejoined the group this week after thigh injuries, and on Sunday Christensen replaced João Cancelo after an hour while García came on for Bernal. Until then Flick had only two fit senior centre-backs, Pau Cubarsí and Gerard Martín, through the defender crisis of the Alavés and Villa matches. Two players back from thigh injuries are a thin layer of cover, and Jules Koundé, Xavi Espart, Dani Olmo and Roony Bardghji remain out.

Raphinha has signed a new contract that keeps him at Barça until 30 June 2030. He has 19 goals this season, more than anyone else in La Liga, and his two against Aston Villa took him level with Ronaldinho on 94 goals for the club. Flick has used him as a centre-forward for long spells this autumn. At the signing Raphinha said he enjoys the role and tries to adapt to whatever he is asked to do. He also said he is not at 100% and that culers should not worry about it. Flick said the renewal was the best thing for the club and for the player, and described Raphinha as a world-class player and the captain. Renewing a forward in the middle of his best scoring run removes one negotiation from a winter in which the board also has to find a senior defender. The risk is in the last years of the deal, since he turns 30 next month.

The Femení beat Madrid CFF 5–1 on Sunday afternoon at the Estadi Johan Cruyff, Barça Atlètic's home ground in Sant Joan Despí, against the side that started the day third in Liga F. Pere Romeu began with Patri Guijarro and Aitana Bonmatí on the bench and made three changes on the hour with Arsenal four days away. Madrid CFF defended deep, and Barça needed until late in the first half to score, when Esmee Brugts scored after a slip in the visitors' defence. Ewa Pajor made it 2–0 in stoppage time after a move between Clàudia Pina and Kerolin, the Brazilian forward who joined this season. After the break the full-back Carla Julià scored from a pass by Marta Torrejón, who had come on for her 500th match for Barça. Guijarro then shot into the top corner from outside the box, Pina added the fifth and Inès Konan, a Madrid CFF substitute, scored late. Vicky López, Irene Paredes and Kika Nazareth were not in the squad, and Romeu hopes López and Paredes can be ready for Arsenal. Barça have 27 points from 10 matches, four more than Real Madrid, who drew 1–1 at Athletic Club on Saturday.