Barcelona have really picked form of recent,and are pushing it hard to remain at the second position they are, although they know it won't be possible to meet up the points Real Madrid have already accumulated this season.They are in the quater finals of the champions league and would want to do everything possible to get to the semi final knowing fully well that the champions league trophy is the only thing they stand to achieve now,as Madrid are already on the verge of claiming the Lalliga Tittle after Barca won it from them last season.
I don't feel the Barcelona side have picked form like you said because of one game they did very well and they're now at the second position of the league table, I prefer the Barcelona of last season to this very one we're seeing, they can slide from that spot after this break if care isn't taken. Both Madrid the league leaders and Barcelona have distractions on their path to becoming a Champions, the champions league, that's why I was expecting Girona to always be a point or 2-3 points ahead of Madrid/Barcelona at this stage of the campaign and if you talk about Barcelona doing well now that they're in the quarter finals of the champions league I believe they played and got to this very round base on luck.
Barcelona's form of recent can't grant them any trophy at the moment because if you check teams that are in the quarter finals of the champions league you'd rate them out, to me between Barcelona and Bayern Munich (that are having a bad season) I'd say the Spanish side would fall out before the German side.
Barcelona and Madrid are some how battle to stay consistent and with how the league leaders (Real Madrid) have been taking care of business you'd understand that they're trying not to make mistakes and any error on their path the league title is gone, I expect both teams to drop points this very week.