Athletic Bilbao provisionally stretched their fourth-place advantage while compounding Getafe's miserable run with a 1-0 victory in La Liga on Saturday.
#INSERT type:image caption:Markel Susaeta scored the winner for Athletic Bilbao. END#
Markel Susaeta curled home from a well-designed set-piece for the 40th-minute winner at San Mames to see Bilbao move nine points clear of Real Sociedad in the race to clinch the league's final Champions League spot.
Getafe remained one point above the drop after their winless run stretched to 14 games, dating to November.
Granada moved eight points clear of the relegation zone following a 1-0 victory against 10-man Elche.
Yacine Brahimi scored in the 63rd minute at Carmenes Stadium, taking advantage of a stumble by Damian Suarez to set off and cap the break with a well-taken left-footed shot.
Ionut Sapunaru took Youssef El-Arabi down inside the area with 20 minutes to play to leave the visitors with 10 men, but Fran Rico was rattled by goalkeeper Manu Herrera's movement and fired his spot kick off the right post.
Rayo Vallecano rallied for a 1-1 draw at Real Valladolid.
Defender Ze Castro put Valladolid ahead before Alberto Bueno equalized on the stroke of halftime, precisely volleying Roberto Trashorras' long pass past goalkeeper Jaime Jimenez.
Granada moved four points ahead of Elche and Rayo, who are both just three points clear of 18th-place Valladolid.
Ten-man Levante held on for a scoreless draw at Espanyol, which left both teams eight points from the European places.
Victor Casadesus was shown a direct red card minutes before stoppage time following his violent tackle of substitute Jhon Cordoba, but Espanyol could not take advantage.