Real Betis 3-5 Barcelona: Torres' superb hat-trick leads the way in goal-laden victory
Barcelona ran riot over Real Betis at La Cartuja, with Ferran Torres' brilliant first-half hat-trick setting up a thrilling finish.
Barcelona moved four points clear at the top of LaLiga with a frantic 5-3 win over Real Betis at La Cartuja, with Ferran Torres netting a sensational first-half hat-trick.
Barca were stunned early as Antony opened the scoring after just six minutes, capitalising on a scramble of blocks and deflections for a close-range finish.
Betis’ lead did not last long though, as Torres levelled proceedings just five minutes later, firing home off Jules Kounde’s near-post centre before completing a quickfire brace soon after, steering a low shot through Alvaro Valles’ legs.
Roony Bardghji made it three and scored his first goal for the club in spectacular fashion just past the half-hour mark, unleashing a brilliant first-time weak-foot strike into the top corner.
Torres completed his hat-trick five minutes before the break as his ambitious 20-yard strike took a wild deflection past Valles and landed in the far corner.
Betis’ night went from bad to worse when Marc Bartra was penalised for a controversial handball after a VAR review, allowing Lamine Yamal to send Valles the wrong way from the spot for Barca’s fifth.
The result looked completely safe as Hansi Flick’s side took their foot off the gas, opening the door for a frenetic end to the match that saw Betis add two late goals to spark slim hopes of a fightback.
Diego Llorente turned in Abde Ezzalzouli’s flick five minutes from time, and Betis were handed further hope when Kounde conceded a late penalty that Cucho Hernandez converted coolly, forcing the visitors to hold on to claim all three points.
Data Debrief: Torres haunts Betis once more with dazzling hat-trick
Torres has now scored two LaLiga hat-tricks in his 193 top-flight appearances — and remarkably, both have come away to Real Betis.
His treble on Saturday further extended his formidable record against Los Verdiblancos, taking him to seven goals in 11 league meetings, his highest return against any opponent.
His hat-trick also means Barcelona have now gained 18 points from losing positions in LaLiga this season, as many as they managed in the entirety of the last campaign.
