The Japan Times - Torres treble helps Barca extend Liga lead, Atletico slip

Lamine Yamal and Roony Bardghji scored the other goals as the champions racked up what was mostly a comfortable victory in Seville, until they conceded two late goals.

Real Madrid, second, host Celta Vigo on Sunday aiming to reel Hansi Flick's side back in.

Fourth-place Atletico Madrid fell to a second defeat this week with a 1-0 loss at Athletic Bilbao.

Villarreal, third, kept the pressure on La Liga's top two with a 2-0 win over 10-man Getafe.

After some shaky performances Barca beat Diego Simeone's Atletico in midweek and then built on it with another triumph at Betis.

"We are fighting and (my players) were exhausted, so at the end not everyone was 100 percent, and this is normal," Flick told reporters.

"Today is positive. Really positive and compliments for my players."

Flick opted to make some rotations, with a key Champions League clash against Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday in mind.

The German coach started Bardghji on the right wing and Torres up front in place of Robert Lewandowski, as well as moving teenage star Yamal into a central attacking midfield role, where he impressed.

Former Manchester United forward Antony opened the scoring for Betis, fifth, at their temporary La Cartuja home, blasting home after Jules Kounde played him onside.

The French defender made amends to help Barca get back level five minutes later, with Torres polishing off his cross at the end of a sharp team move.

Torres struck again in the 13th minute in similar fashion from Bardghji's cross to put Barca in front, and they never looked back.

Bardghji scored the third himself after good work by Pedri to bring the ball forward, the Swedish winger finishing with aplomb.

Torres completed his hat-trick before half-time with a stroke of luck, as his shot deflected home past Alvaro Valles.

It was his 11th league goal, making him the second top scorer in La Liga behind Madrid's Kylian Mbappe.

"I already knew I could do this," Torres told Movistar.

"That's what you have to do at Barca, and I'm aiming for many more (goals)."

Yamal netted Barca's fifth from the penalty spot before the hour mark, after former Blaugrana defender Marc Bartra was harshly penalised for handball.

Marcus Rashford's shot was blocked by Bartra but the ball flew up and struck his hand.

Yamal and Rashford missed big chances before Betis nabbed two late goals, with Diego Llorente turning home at the back post from a corner that Barca defended badly.

Kounde clumsily felled another former Barca player in Ez Abde and Cucho Hernandez rolled home from the spot.

- Atletico slip -

Alex Berenguer's superb late strike from outside the area earned Athletic their late win over Atletico, who are now nine points behind Barcelona.

Atletico had been on a run of 13 matches unbeaten before Barca defeated them in midweek, with the Basques following it up at their buzzing San Mames stadium.

Ernesto Valverde's Athletic, seventh, were also beaten by Real Madrid on Wednesday but produced a far better showing to defeat the visitors.

Athletic have had a poor start to the season, both domestically and in the Champions League. However they shaded Atletico in a hard-fought match before Berenguer finished lethally from outside the area in the 85th minute to claim his team three points.

"Home teams tend to be braver, it happens to everyone except the exceptional (teams)," said Simeone.

"We had clear chances to score, I don't know if more or less (than Athletic), but in the end the win went to them."

Earlier Villarreal made light work of Getafe to continue their title tilt.

Tajon Buchanan sent the hosts ahead shortly before half-time, with Getafe's Luis Milla dismissed soon after the break after an angry confrontation with the Canadian midfielder.

Georges Mikautadze netted the second after 64 minutes to bring Villarreal one point behind second place Real Madrid.

Marcelino Garcia Toral's Villarreal have won six consecutive league games and are unbeaten since early October.

"It's impossible to maintain this pace," said the Villarreal coach. "But (the points) you win, you can't lose them."

S.Suzuki--JT