Artem Dovbyk struck a hat-trick inside seven minutes as Girona powered back to the top of LaLiga with a thumping 5-1 win over Sevilla on Sunday night.
After Real Madrid scraped a controversial 3-2 win over bottom side Almeria and a treble by Ferran Torres helped Barcelona win 4-2 at Real Betis, Girona demonstrated their title credentials.
The Catalan club, in the top flight for only the fourth season in their history, are shock challengers for the Spanish title and lead second-place Madrid by a point, having played one extra game.
Madrid’s victory over winless Almeria, which took them temporarily top before Girona played, was steeped in drama and controversy.
Dani Carvajal rammed home the winner in the 99th minute to settle a wild and hugely entertaining clash at the Santiago Bernabeu where Madrid had trailed 2-0.
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Almeria took a two-goal lead through Largie Ramazani’s 38th-minute strike and a screamer from Edgar Gonzalez.
Madrid battled back to triumph as Jude Bellingham converted a penalty and Vinicius Junior used his upper arm to divert home an equaliser, before Carvajal’s last-gasp winner.
Madrid had three key VAR adjudications go in their favour, including Vinicius’ goal which Almeria considered handball, a goal of their own ruled out, and a penalty given to Madrid.
“(We leave) with the feeling we’ve been robbed,” Almeria midfielder, Gonzalo Melero, said after the game.
Real Madrid manager, Carlo Ancelotti, however, disagreed, saying: “I understand Almeria’s anger with the VAR decisions, but I think they were well judged.”
Madrid won the Spanish Super Cup last Sunday by thrashing Barcelona in Saudi Arabia and then lost 4-2 against Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey in midweek.
Barcelona, third, let a two-goal lead slip against Betis but recovered to stay in the title race.
Torres scored twice to put Barcelona two ahead but they surrendered their lead as former Real Madrid playmaker, Isco, struck a brace of his own.
Joao Felix finished deftly in the 90th minute and Torres netted again to secure victory for the Catalans, who trail neighbours Girona by eight points.
