Real Madrid took a small step to restoring their pride after last weekend's derby thrashing by beating Deportivo La Coruna 2-0 at the Bernabeu.
Carlo Ancelotti's side made a nervous start to the game but took a 20th-minute lead through Isco, and then Karim Benzema sealed the points in the 73rd minute.
Madrid, who were thrashed 4-0 by bitter rivals Atletico a week ago, stay top of the Primera Division thanks to the win but this was far from an assured performance from the European champions, who were booed by their own supporters on several occasions.
Sevilla were also in need of a positive result after losing their last two games and they got it with a comfortable 3-0 derby win over struggling Cordoba in a match which saw both teams finish with 10 men.
Grzegorz Krychowiak headed in the opener from a corner on 39 minutes and then Carlos Bacca scored from close range just before half-time, and any hope of a Cordoba fightback in the second half soon vanished when Patrick Ekeng was shown a straight red card for striking out at Vitolo.
Krychowiak was then also given his marching orders for a dangerous tackle, but Vicente Iborra's headed goal put the game out of Cordoba's sight a few minutes later.
There was also a red card in the match between Granada and Athletic Bilbao, but the Basque visitors could not make the most of Emanuel Insua's 68th-minute dismissal as the clash finished goalless.
Both teams came close to netting late winners but Granada forward Piti and Athletic striker Iker Muniain each saw shots hit the post.
In the late match, Espanyol won at La Rosaleda for the third successive time as goals from Alvaro Gonzalez and Sergio Garcia earned them a 2-0 win over Malaga.
Malaga had the chance to level at 1-1 when they won an 83rd-minute penalty following a remarkable handball from visiting defender Diego Colotto, whose diving stop to tip Javi Guerra's shot onto the crossbar was spectacular but also earned him a red card.
Nordin Amrabat could not make the chance count, though, as Kiko Casilla saved his spot-kick and Sergio Garcia wrapped up the points late on for the Copa del Rey semifinalists.