Real Madrid reignited their La Liga title hopes with a dominant 5-1 victory over Real Betis on Sunday, powered by a stunning hat-trick from 21-year-old Spanish forward Gonzalo Garcia. The Santiago Bernabéu erupted as Garcia stepped up in the absence of injured star Kylian Mbappé, delivering his first career hat-trick for the club.
Garcia opened the scoring in the 20th minute with a clinical finish, then doubled Madrid's lead early in the second half with a 25-yard strike. After Raúl Asencio extended the advantage to 3-0, Betis briefly rallied with a goal from Cucho Hernández. Garcia sealed his historic night with an 82nd-minute backheel flick before Fran García added a fifth in stoppage time.
The win narrows Barcelona's lead at the top to four points after the Catalans' derby win over Espanyol. It also provides breathing room for manager Xabi Alonso, whose position had been under scrutiny following inconsistent results earlier this season.
"These goals are for everyone who believed in me when opportunities were scarce," Garcia told reporters post-match. The academy product has now scored four goals in his last three starts across competitions.
With Mbappé expected to return from a knee sprain later this month, Garcia's performance adds depth to Madrid's attacking options as they prepare for crucial Champions League fixtures in February.
