Leaders Barcelona hit five against Real Betis

Ferran Torres scored a first-half hat-trick to help fire Barcelona into a four-point lead at the top of La Liga with a 5-3 win over Real Betis.

Barcelona, who came into the game at Estadio La Cartuja one point clear of rivals Real Madrid, fell behind after six minutes when former Manchester United winger Antony scored his fifth goal of the season.

But Betis’ lead only lasted five minutes. Torres rounded off a beautifully worked Barcelona move to tap in at close range to level the match.

Torres then gave Barcelona the lead two minutes later with a brilliant volleyed finish inside the box.

Twenty-year-old Sweden winger Roony Bardghji scored his first La Liga goal to put Hansi Flick’s side into a more commanding lead after half and hour, latching on to Pedri’s pass to finish at the near post.

The former Manchester City forward then rounded off his third career treble five minutes before half-time with an expertly placed effort from outside the box to make it 4-1.

Barcelona continued pushing in the second half and were controversially awarded a penalty after the video assistant referee (VAR) deemed Marc Bartra’s block flicked on to his hand.

Lamine Yamal coolly netted the penalty for his sixth goal of the season before Diego Llorente made it 5-2 in the 85th minute.

Betis then made the scoreline look more favourable after Jules Kounde fouled Abde Ezzalzouli in the box and Cucho Hernandez made no mistake from the spot in the 90th minute.