Ferran Fires as Barca Win Eight-Goal Betis Thriller

Barcelona tightened their grip on the LaLiga title race after edging Real Betis 5-3 in a wildly entertaining encounter that produced eight goals and plenty of controversy. In a match where defending took a back seat, it was Ferran Torres who emerged as the headline act, powering the visitors to a decisive first-half advantage they never truly relinquished.

Betis stunned the league leaders early on. Inside six minutes, sustained pressure paid off when a loose ball fell kindly to Antony, who twisted smartly inside the box before firing the hosts ahead. The lead, however, barely settled.

Barcelona responded with ruthless intent. Ferran drew the sides level in the 11th minute, squeezing home from close range after a fine cross from Jules Kounde. Barely two minutes later, the same man struck again, this time with an acrobatic finish after a clever delivery from Roony Bardghji, completing a lightning-fast turnaround.

Betis struggled to regain their composure and were punished again midway through the half. Bardghji capped an excellent performance with a thunderous strike to make it 3-1 before Ferran completed his hat-trick on 40 minutes, his long range effort taking a deflection that wrong-footed the goalkeeper and sent Barcelona into the break with a commanding 4-1 lead.

The second half was less frantic at first, but a pivotal VAR decision swung the mood inside the stadium. After a Rashford shot deflected off Marc Bartras thigh onto his arm, the referee initially waved play on before being sent to the monitor. The penalty decision sparked fury among Betis players and supporters, but Lamine Yamal kept his nerve to convert and make it 5-1.

To their credit, Betis refused to surrender. Diego Llorente pulled one back with five minutes remaining, reacting quickest to a flicked-on corner to tap home from point-blank range. Deep into stoppage time, Juan Hernandez added a third from the penalty spot after another VAR review, giving the scoreline a more respectable look.

Despite the late goals, the damage had already been done. Barca edged the expected goals battle only narrowly, underlining how open and attacking the contest was from start to finish.

The win moves Barcelona four points clear at the top of LaLiga, albeit having played one game more than their closest challengers. Betis remain fifth and will rue the defensive collapse that followed their bright start.

For the neutral, it was a night to savour. For Barcelona, it was another statement in a title race that continues to turn on moments of cutting edge rather than caution.