Malaga lost 2-1 at home to Real Sociedad and missed the chance to go third, Xabi Prieto poaching the winner for the side from San Sebastian on 59 minutes that moves Real three points away from the relegation zone.
Ex-Arsenal star Carlos Vela had put Sociedad ahead on 48 seconds before former Real Madrid striker Javier Saviola equalised for the home team before the interval.
A Malaga win would have put the Costa del Sol side above Betis, who lost 2-1 at home to Granada on Friday night, and Real Madrid, who play at Levante on Sunday, but they never impressed in a duel between two closely matched sides.
Leaders Barcelona visit Mallorca on Sunday while second-placed Atletico Madrid entertain Getafe.
Earlier on Saturday there were goals galore and important victories in the bottom half of the table for Rayo Vallecano, Osasuna and Zaragoza.
Bottom side Osasuna came away from their clash at second-from-bottom Espanyol with a vital 3-0 victory that keeps them in touch with the rest of the league.
Alvaro Cejudo gave the side from Pamplona a first-half lead before playing a delightful pass for Kike Sola to double the lead on the hour.
Substitute Manuel Omwu rounded-off the win with a third on 76 minutes to lighten some of the pressure on coach Jose Luis Mendilibar, who was rumoured to be in line for the sack if his side had lost the match.
The win, only their second of the season, moves Osasuna to within a point of Espanyol at the bottom.
The pressure now momentarily moves onto Espanyol coach Mauricio Pochettino, who was honest afterwards about the severity of the result for his side.
“The defeat is damaging for us and our confidence, we made a very bad impression and were never in the game, we were always chasing it,” he admitted.
Deportivo La Coruna also remain in the relegation zone, a point ahead of Espanyol, after losing 5-3 at Zaragoza.
The Galician team were 2-1 ahead early in the second period when Portuguese winger Pizzi was sent-off for a second bookable offence after the referee adjudged him to have taken a dive in the penalty area.
Zaragoza did not look back from that moment as Paco Montanes, Alvaro Gonzalez and a double from Portuguese striker Hector Postiga gave them the win.
Bruno Gama and Riki had put Deportivo ahead before Apono hit a penalty for the home side in the opening exchanges and Bodipo got a late consolation for the away team.
Rayo Vallecano meanwhile overturned a two-goal deficit to beat ten-man Celta Vigo 3-2.
Iago Aspas scored two identical breakaway goals to put Celta ahead at the break, but by the interval they had also lost Argentine midfielder Gustavo Cabral with two yellow cards.
Brazilian striker Leo Baptistao got Rayo back in the game on the hour, before a Tito strike and a Piti penalty gave the Madrid side the 3 points that momentarily lifts them into 7th position ahead of Sunday’s games.
Malaga fall to Sociedad and fail to progress
