Robert Lewandowski has continued his impressive start to the season, scoring a hat-trick in a 25-minute span as Barcelona beat Alaves 3-0 to go 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.

The Poland star has a total of 12 goals in 11 games in all competitions, and has scored eight times in his last five matches.

"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 a 2-0 win over fourth-place Villarreal on Saturday.

Barcelona were coming off their first league loss of the season - a 4-2 defeat against Osasuna.

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, who had no attempts on goal in the first half.

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

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

Juli?n Alvarez scored from inside the area after a backheel pass by Antoine Griezmann one minute into the match. Sociedad equalised 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.

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

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.