"We are back", "Xavi should drop Lewandowski" - Fans react as a Ferran Torres hat-trick inspires Barcelona to a 4-2 win over Real Betis
Ferran Torres turned out to be the star of the show, bagging a hat-trick in Barcelona's 4-2 victory against Real Betis in La Liga on Sunday, January 21. The former Manchester City forward led La Bluagrana to the crucial win, which keeps their hopes alive in the title race.
The first half saw Barcelona dominating, but a dramatic second-half collapse almost cost them the game before they bounced back late on to secure the win. The game started with Barca imposing themselves, leading to Torres' first goal thanks to an assist from Pedri in the 21st minute.
Torres' second goal was a product of a rebound off the bar from Lamine Yamal's strike in the 48th minute. However, Real Betis responded fiercely with Isco scoring twice in three minutes to bring the game level.
As the match headed towards the final whistle, substitute Joao Felix made his mark by scoring in the 90th minute. Torres then completed his hat-trick in stoppage time, converting a brilliant assist from Yamal. The impressive performance at the Estadio Benito Villamarin saw Barca fans take to social media to react. One fan claimed:
"We are back."
Another suggested that the manager leave Robert Lewandowski on the bench in future matches:
"Xavi should drop Lewandowski."
Here is a selection of their posts on X (formerly Twitter):
Xavi Hernandez praises Barcelona's performance in 4-2 win over Real Betis, hails Ferran Torres
Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has expressed his contentment following the team's 4-2 win over Real Betis at the Estadio Benito Villamarin. He called the win an "important step forward", as La Blaugrana look to stay in touch with Girona and Real Madrid, who occupy the top two spots on the La Liga table.
Xavi told the press (via Marca):
"The goal made us tense, the equaliser came, but then we dominated again. It's an important step forward in a stadium where nobody had won, with young players and personality. Barcelona fans would have enjoyed our performance. It wasn't a complete match, but it was a great game."
Ferran Torres, who scored a hat-trick, received special praise from the manager, who said:
"I value him a lot. He turned the situation around on his own. We spoke in the summer; he sent me a message saying he was ready to succeed at Barcelona, and he was very clear about it. He's mentally very strong, and I'm very happy for him because he's an extraordinary guy. He has earned it."
Torres has been in good form this month, scoring five goals and providing an assist in six games for the Spanish giants.