Amid reports of dressing room unrest, in early January, and on back of a defeat to Real Sociedad Zubizarreta was sacked, weakening Luis Enrique's standing at the club. A significant upturn in form followed, as a result of the coach deciding on a settled lineup with a tweak in the formation: Messi and Neymar now played as inverted wingers, while Suárez was the lone striker. The team won at home to champions Atlético Madrid who had previously defeated them 6 times in a row in all competitions. He soon equaled Guardiola's record of 11 consecutive victories, while the side went on to beat Atlético Madrid and Villarreal CF convincingly in the Copa del Rey to advance to the final. In the domestic league, after eight wins in nine matches, they returned to the top of the table after 15 weeks.