Espanyol breathed life into their Europa League qualification hopes with a surprise 3-0 win over a lacklustre Atletico Madrid at RCDE Stadium on Saturday.
Diego Godin's own goal on the stroke of half-time and Borja Iglesias' double after the interval lifted Rubi's side to within three points of seventh-placed Real Valladolid, who entertain Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.
Atletico, having watched Barcelona sew up the LaLiga title last weekend, looked very much like a team with little to play for as they slumped to a sixth league loss of the season.
Diego Simeone's men still require a point from their final two fixtures to ensure Real Madrid cannot sneak into second.
Espanyol, without a clean sheet in their 11 previous matches, almost gifted Atletico an early lead.
Diego Lopez denied Alvaro Morata in the third minute after the striker dispossessed Mario Hermoso, who soon returned the favour by cleaning up his goalkeeper's handling error.
Atletico appeared equally vulnerable and fell behind in first-half added time.
Adria Pedrosa burst down the left, skipped past a challenge and saw his cross trickle in off Godin's outstretched boot.
Iglesias doubled the margin in the 52nd minute, racing onto Oscar Melendo's well-weighted ball in behind and beating Jan Oblak from a tough angle.
Only Oblak stood between Espanyol and a deserved third as the half wore on, parrying thumping strikes from Sergi Darder and striker Iglesias.
The latter was not to be denied his double. Juanfran stepped across Javi Puado's path in the box and, in the 89th minute, Iglesias dispatched the resultant spot-kick into the top-left corner to complete a convincing victory.
