Benat scored the only goal of the game as Real Betis beat Real Madrid 1-0 at home to leave the champions eight points behind Barcelona, having played a game more.
Despite plenty of second-half pressure, Real were unable to find an equaliser after Benat had scored on 17 minutes with a low drive beyond Iker Casillas from just outside the area.
Malaga registered their first league win in five games as they hammered Valencia 4-0 at La Rosaleda.
The margin of victory could have been even greater for the hosts who controlled the game from the off and went ahead just eight minutes in when Francisco Portillo curled home from Eliseu's cut-back.
Joaquin and Javier Saviola squandered a number of chances to increase the lead before the latter made it 2-0 15 minutes from time, a goal that was quickly followed by a third from Roque Santa Cruz.
Valencia were then reduced to 10 men as Adil Rami saw a second yellow card and Isco rounded off a fantastic evening for Malaga with a fourth in stoppage time.
Real Valladolid stretched their unbeaten home run in the Primera Division to six games as Manucho's second-half strike secured a 1-0 victory over Granada.
The Angolan had come close to breaking the deadlock in the first half with an overhead kick but made no mistake just after the hour when he was played in by Oscar Gonzalez and sent a fierce shot beyond Tono into the top corner.
Rayo Vallecano left it very late too see off out-of-form Real Mallorca 2-0 in an awful game.
Leo Baptistao broke the deadlock with a goal totally out of keeping with what had gone beforehand, firing home low from 30 yards, before he turned provider as substitute Andrija Delibasic got a second in the 90th minute.
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