Torres treble puts Catalans four points clear of Real Madrid

Ferran Torres scored a hat-trick in the first half Barcelona Defeated Real Betis tonight.

Torres, named ninth ahead of Robert Lewandowski, took his chance with both hands with a brilliant hat-trick to put Barcelona in the driving seat after Anthony Betis had given the early lead.

The Spanish striker will grab the headlines, but credit must also go to Ronnie Bardji, who was impressive, scoring one goal and playing a part in two more in a rare start.

Lamin Yamal was also on the scoresheet with a penalty kick in the second half to help with the move Barcelona is four points ahead of Real Madrid, which hosts Celta Vigo tomorrow.

Diego Llorente and Cucho Hernandez scored late goals, but it was not enough.

Anthony stuns Barcelona in the opening match

There was little sign of what was to come when Anthony Betis put them ahead seven minutes later. Hernandez and Pablo Fornals both made efforts before the ball fell well for the Brazilian to turn and shoot past Joan Garcia.

The lead lasted only five minutes before Barcelona responded. Bardghji slipped into Jules Kounde’s overlapping and his cross was converted by Torres at the near post.

It was a smooth move and the Catalans were at it again 14 minutes later, with Bardji, who was making his third league start, once again instrumental. It was the Sweden youth international who sent the cross this time and Torres made no mistake again as he curled an acrobatic shot past Alvaro Valles.

Bardji got his name on the scoresheet shortly after the half-hour mark, running onto Pedri’s brilliant through ball and finishing brilliantly with his right foot.

Betis appeared in complete shock and conceded another goal four minutes before the end of the first half.

Pedri got another assist by passing the ball to Torres and his shot deflected evil on its way to the 11th best goal in La Liga this season.

He could have scored 12th shortly after, but Valles blocked him before Betis recovered before the end of the first half. Hernandez almost converted a cross from Aitor Roybal, and Roybal himself ended the half by firing a shot that hit the side netting while Joan Garcia raced across the goal line.

Yamal snatches the fifth for Barcelona

Betis needed a quick response in the second half to be able to return to the match, but Anthony wasted his best opportunity with a weak shot at Joan Garcia after a pass from Nelson Diosa.

The challenge for the hosts ended in the 55th minute when Marcus Rashford’s shot hit the arm of former Barcelona defender Marc Bartra, and the referee awarded the penalty kick, which Yamal calmly executed.

Torres almost added his fourth goal after narrowly failing to convert Yamal’s low cross before Betis’ attempt was disallowed after Pablo Garcia was ruled offside after converting Hernandez’s cross.

Llorente scored from a corner kick and Hernandez scored from a late penalty kick awarded after unjustified intervention by Kounde, keeping Barcelona afloat.