Early hat trick for Lewandowski as Barcelona tops before break

Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski, back, scores his side’s 3rd goal against Alaves during a Spanish La Liga soccer match at the Mendizorroza stadium in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

MADRID — Robert Lewandowski continued his impressive start to the season on Sunday, scoring a hat trick in a 25-minute span as Barcelona beat Alaves 3-0 and went into the international break top of the Spanish league.

Lewandowski scored in the seventh, 22nd and 32nd minutes to take his league tally to 10 goals in nine matches. He has a total of 12 goals in 11 games in all competitions, and has scored eight times in his last five matches.

The Poland striker was coming off a brace in Barcelona’s 5-0 rout of Young Boys in the Champions League on Tuesday.

READ: Barcelona extends perfect start in Spanish league, loses Ter Stegen

“We played a very good match from the first minute,” Lewandowski said. “When you score three goals in the first half, it gives you the ability to be a lot more in control in the second.”

The victory moved Barcelona three points back in front of second-place Real Madrid ahead of the international break. Madrid had drawn even on points with the Catalan club with a 2-0 win over fourth-place Villarreal on Saturday.

Barcelona was coming off its first league loss of the season — a 4-2 defeat against Osasuna. It had previously won its first seven matches in the competition.

Lewandowski scored with close-range strikes after a pair of assists by Raphinha and another from Eric Garcia.

It was the third loss in a row for Alaves, which had no attempts on goal in the first half.

Barcelona lost forward Ferran Torres with an apparent muscle injury five minutes into the match.

READ: Barcelona sacks ‘proud’ coach Xavi after trophyless season

Atletico Madrid into third place

Atletico Madrid moved to third place with a 1-1 draw at Real Sociedad.

Julián Alvarez scored from inside the area after a backheel pass by Antoine Griezmann one minute into the match. Sociedad equalized with a left-footed curler into the top corner by Luka Sucic in the 84th.

The result put Atletico level on points with Villarreal. Diego Simeone’s team is ahead on goal difference.

Atletico was coming off a 4-0 loss at Benfica in the Champions League, its joint-biggest defeat in the competition..

Sociedad, winless in two matches, was in 15th place.

Sevilla wins derby

Dodi Lukebakio converted a 50th-minute penalty kick to give Sevilla a 1-0 win over Real Betis in the Seville derby.

It was the second loss in a row for Betis. Sevilla has won two of its last three games

Gazzaniga saves penalties

Girona ended a six-match winless streak in all competitions with a 2-1 victory at home against Athletic Bilbao, with Cristhian Stuani scoring the winner by converting a penalty kick nine minutes into second-half stoppage time.

Before that, the match had been marked by three penalty saves by Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga — one in the first half and two in the second after a video review required the last penalty to be retaken.

It was Athletic’s first loss in six matches in all competitions.