Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone remains optimistic about the club's title chances after Sunday's 4-2 LaLiga defeat to Barcelona, saying the loss was not down to bad luck but lack of consistency.

The title race in La Liga continues to be one of the major storylines of European soccer season with a 10-match sprint to the finish line starting when action resumes following the international break.

Barcelona struck a potentially decisive blow in La Liga’s title race with a 4-2 win against Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano. Diego Simeone’s home team went ahead through Julian Alvarez in the 45th minute — with the Argentina forward banishing memories of his ‘two-touch’ penalty in Atletico’s Champions League round-of-16 exit to Real Madrid in midweek.