Ferran Torres Hat-Trick Leads Barcelona to 5-3 Thrilling Win Over Real Betis

Barcelona moved four points clear at the top of La Liga after a thrilling 5-3 victory over Real Betis at Estadio La Cartuja, courtesy of a first-half hat-trick by Ferran Torres.

Betis took an early lead in just the sixth minute through former Manchester United winger Antony, who scored his fifth goal of the season. However, Barcelona responded quickly, with Torres equalizing from close range before putting his team ahead with a sublime volley two minutes later.

Swedish youngster Roony Bardghji then scored his first La Liga goal, converting Pedri’s assist to extend the Catalan side’s lead to 3-1 after 30 minutes. Torres completed his third goal of the match just five minutes before halftime with a spectacular long-range strike, making it 4-1.

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In the second half, Barcelona were awarded a controversial penalty after VAR ruled that Marc Bartra handled the ball. Lamine Yamal converted calmly, marking his sixth goal of the season. Betis fought back with goals from Diego Llorente and a penalty converted by Cucho Hernandez following a foul by Jules Kounde, but it wasn’t enough to stop Barcelona’s triumph.

The win strengthens Hansi Flick’s side’s position atop La Liga, keeping them ahead of Real Madrid and maintaining momentum in their title challenge.

Ferran Torres Hat-Trick Leads Barcelona to 5-3 Thrilling Win Over Real Betis

Aston Villa Beat Arsenal in Dramatic Late Thriller to Close Gap on Premier League Leaders

Emi Buendia struck with the final kick of the match to hand Aston Villa a dramatic 2-1 victory over Arsenal, cutting the gap to the Premier League leaders to just three points in a thrilling encounter at Villa Park.

Arsenal appeared to have salvaged a point when Leandro Trossard netted his sixth goal of the season, cancelling out Matty Cash’s first-half opener. But Buendia, coming off the bench, curled in a superb 95th-minute winner to send the home crowd into raptures and lift Unai Emery’s side into second place.

The defeat ends Arsenal’s unbeaten league run since their 1-0 loss to Liverpool in August and marks a rare match in which they started without defensive mainstays William Saliba or Gabriel.

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Earlier, Villa thought they had scored through Eberechi Eze, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Moments later, Cash punished Arsenal’s lapse in concentration, firing in at the far post.

Mikel Arteta’s side responded strongly after the break, with substitutes Viktor Gyokeres and Trossard revitalizing the attack. Trossard grabbed his 50th Premier League goal, and captain Martin Odegaard came close, forcing former Arsenal goalkeeper Emi Martinez into a sharp save.

But Villa had the final word as Arsenal failed to clear a late attack, allowing Buendia to seal a memorable victory — the club’s seventh straight win in all competitions.

Aston Villa now turn their attention to Thursday’s Europa League trip to Basel before facing West Ham on December 14. Arsenal travel to Club Brugge for Wednesday’s Champions League fixture, followed by a Premier League clash with Wolves on December 13.

Aston Villa Beat Arsenal in Dramatic Late Thriller to Close Gap on Premier League Leaders

Turkey Football Betting Scandal: 46 Arrested as Match-Fixing Probe Widens

The Istanbul public prosecutor’s office has announced the arrest of 46 individuals, including 29 football players, in a rapidly expanding probe into illegal betting in Turkish football. The sweeping investigation has rocked the Turkish Super Lig and lower divisions, raising serious concerns over match integrity and widespread corruption.

According to prosecutors, 27 of the arrested players are suspected of placing bets on matches involving their own teams—games in which they actively participated. The arrests mark the latest escalation in Turkey’s unprecedented betting scandal.

The investigation intensified in early November when prosecutors confirmed the detention of 18 individuals, including referees accused of wagering on professional matches. A week earlier, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) sanctioned 149 referees for betting violations.

The TFF’s disciplinary committee has since imposed bans ranging from eight to twelve months on numerous officials. The federation disclosed that a sweeping integrity survey of 571 referees revealed that 371 had opened betting accounts and 152 had placed bets. Investigations into three referees remain ongoing.

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Among those disciplined is Metehan Baltacı of reigning champions Galatasaray, who recently received a nine-month suspension. Meanwhile, prosecutors allege that Fenerbahçe midfielder Mert Hakan Yandaş placed bets through another person’s account, though his identity was not officially included among the 26 unnamed players under investigation.

The scandal continues to send shockwaves through Turkish football. On November 10, six referees and the president of Eyüpspor, a Turkish Super Lig club, were placed in pre-trial detention.

Authorities confirmed that 35 of the 46 suspects named in arrest warrants have been apprehended, while five are believed to have fled the country. The warrants also target two club presidents accused of attempting to manipulate the outcome of a third-division match during the 2023–2024 season—a fixture widely questioned after both teams failed to register a single shot on target.

To date, the TFF has suspended over 1,000 players nationwide, including 25 from the Super Lig. Punishments range from 45-day bans to year-long suspensions. Only one foreign player—the Senegalese winger Alassane Ndao of Konyaspor—received a 12-month ban. More than 900 of those sanctioned compete in the third and fourth divisions.

The deepening scandal underscores the severity of illegal betting networks operating within Turkish football and signals that further arrests and sanctions may follow as investigations continue.

Turkey Football Betting Scandal: 46 Arrested as Match-Fixing Probe Widens