Ferran Torres hits hat-trick as Barcelona extend lead at top of LaLiga table

Ferran Torres bagged a first-half hat-trick as LaLiga leaders Barcelona hit back from conceding early on at Real Betis to claim a 5-3 victory.

After former Manchester United forward Antony put the hosts ahead, Torres, preferred up front to Robert Lewandowski, scored three times, with Roony Bardghji also on-target as Barca went 4-1 up at half-time.

Lamine Yamal scored a debatably-awarded penalty in the second half and while Diego Llorente and Cucho Hernandez struck late on, the damage was done as Hansi Flick’s side claimed a sixth straight league win.

Barcelona extended their lead atop the table to four points after ending Betis’ eight-match unbeaten streak although Real Madrid will cut the gap back to one if they defeat Celta Vigo on Sunday evening.

It was not initially plain sailing for the visitors, who benched Raphinha due to a minor fitness issue and handed a first start to Marcus Rashford since November 9 with Dani Olmo out injured.

They went behind in the sixth minute when Pablo Fornals’ shot was blocked by Alejandro Balde before the ball fell kindly for Antony, who was just about onside when he turned and rifled high into the net.

Betis, though, were left dumbfounded as the contest was turned on its head seven minutes later, with Manuel Pellegrini’s side twice exposed down their left-hand side and Torres capitalising.

Jules Kounde might have been at fault for Antony being onside but he atoned with a low cross that Torres turned in at the near post before the striker volleyed home Bardghji’s ball into the middle.

Bardghji, making his first start since September 28, then went from provider to goalscorer after 31 minutes, collecting the ball from Pedri then thundering a shot past Alvaro Valles at his near post.

Torres then all but ended the game as a contest five minutes before the interval, albeit fortuitously as his goal-bound effort took a big deflection off former Barcelona defender Marc Bartra on its way in.

Torres, though, was able to celebrate his hat-trick, just his second in LaLiga although his first treble was coincidentally against the same opponents two years ago at Estadio de La Cartuja.

Yamal had a curling effort kept out by Valles after half-time but made no mistake from the spot in the 59th minute following a dubiously penalty, with Rashford’s shot cannoning off Bartra’s arm via his leg.

Referee Francisco Jose Hernandez Maeso had not initially spotted the infringement but it was overturned by VAR and as boos rang around the stadium at the decision, Yamal coolly dispatched the penalty.

Pablo Garcia was denied a consolation for Betis by the offside flag but Llorente pulled one back with his finish from close range in the 85th minute before Hernandez struck from the penalty spot.

Abde Ezzalzouli was scythed down in the area by Kounde and Hernandez converted the spot-kick in the last minute but a comeback for the ages was not in the offing as Barca negotiated the added-on time.