Torres bags hat-trick as Barcelona batter Betis 5-3

SEVILLA, Spain, Dec 6 - Ferran Torres scored a first-half hat-trick as Barcelona won 5-3 at Real Betis in LaLiga on Saturday, bouncing back after conceding an early goal to extend their lead over Real Madrid at the summit to four points. 

Antony marked his return from suspension by scoring from Betis' first attack in the sixth minute, with Jules Kounde playing the winger onside as he rifled the ball into the net.

The fullback made amends as Barcelona levelled five minutes later with a typically expansive passing move punctuated by Torres, who deftly steered Kounde's centre in at the near post.

With the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Frenkie de Jong left on Barca's bench, Torres seized his chance and struck again in the 13th minute, Roony Bardghji crossing for him to score with a sumptuous volley that went through the legs of Betis keeper Alvaro Valles.

With Barcelona dominating, Bardghji netted his first LaLiga goal for the club to make it 3-1 in the 31st minute and Torres completed his hat-trick five minutes before the break with a shot that took a heavy deflection before flying into the net. 

A Lamine Yamal penalty increased Barca's lead just before the hour mark, but Betis never gave up, Diego Llorente steering the ball into the net from a flicked-on corner in the 85th minute. 

Kounde was in the thick of things again late on, fouling Abdessamad Ezzalzouli in the box to concede a penalty that was scored by Cucho Hernandez in the 90th minute, but it proved too little, too late for Betis.

Earlier in the afternoon, third-placed Villarreal beat Getafe 2-0, while a penalty in first-half stoppage time gave Deportivo Alaves a 1-0 win over Real Sociedad in their mid-table clash. 

Barcelona top the standings on 40 points after 16 games, with Real Madrid four points behind them with a game in hand. Betis are fifth on 24 points. 

"I think the first half was very good, and I think we were very tired towards the end of the second ... I want to be positive in my assessment of this match, but we're certainly going to analyse everything, and the important thing is that we won," Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said. 

"I started Ferran Torres, and I knew this is his stadium. He's scored here many times, even for the national team before ... he's confident in himself, and that's crucial for a striker," he added. 

Flick said his decision to play Yamal in a playmaking role also paid off, with the 18-year-old happy to take on more responsibility in the middle of the field. 

"I saw Lamine playing well, defensively as well. He worked well with the rest of his teammates. He's one of the options we have, we decided that with the coaches. We asked him if he'd like to play in the '10' role and he said yes," Flick explained. REUTERS