Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid - Barcelona braced for tough showdown with Atletico Madrid

Barcelona manager Luis Enrique has warned his side they cannot afford any lapse in concentration if they are to get the better of LaLiga title rivals Atletico Madrid at the Nou Camp on Wednesday.

The defending champions find themselves in second place, three points behind early leaders Real Madrid, heading into the midweek round of matches after responding to their shock home defeat to Alaves with comprehensive wins over Celtic and Leganes.

Barca scored 12 goals in those two wins but Luis Enrique knows his team needs to stay focused if they are to come through against Diego Simeone's well-organised side, who have now won three successive matches after opening the domestic campaign with two draws.

"They are still masters of the counter attack and set-pieces. They are candidates for every trophy, so we'll have to get things right against them," Luis Enrique said at a press conference.

"We have to limit our mistakes and stick to our game plan.

"No match against Atletico is easy - they base their game on being solid at the back, but they also have quality strikers and great mobility."

The Barca boss added: "Effectiveness in front of goal is likely to be one of the key areas. We need to smother their forwards. This is a game between two teams that know each other well, and that makes it all the more exciting.

"I hope to see a Nou Camp ready to rumble because that's what we need."

Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar have been in impressive form once again, the trio helping route Celtic 7-0 in the Champions League and then sweep aside Leganes 5-1 away on Saturday.

Luis Enrique knows he must carefully manage Barcelona's marauding frontline.

"I would like to have all three play all 90 minutes of every game, but it cannot be so," he said.

"We have to find time for them to rest. Sometimes I discuss it with them and other times I decide during the game."

Barcelona must do without defender Samuel Umtiti, who strained knee ligaments during a training session on Tuesday, and the French centre-back could also be a doubt for Saturday's game at Sporting Gijon.

Atletico, meanwhile, also bring decent form into the showpiece encounter, having won 5-0 against Sporting following their 1-0 Champions League win away at PSV Eindhoven.

Atletico boss Simeone has yet to win at the Nou Camp, and knows it will take a special performance to deliver that success at the ninth time of trying.

"If we did not win, it was because we did not deserve it over the 90 minutes, over the course of the games they have been better," Simeone told a press conference.

"I still think they are (the best club side in the world). They play brilliant football, individually and collectively they can make the difference."

Having reached the Champions League final at the expense of Barcelona last season - winning 3-2 on aggregate in the quarter-finals - Simeone has confidence his current squad are moving in the right direction.

He added: "We have created a squad with options to continue improving. Facts not words will later decide, but our goal is to have a better team without looking at others, and trying to grow as a team ourselves."