Atletico Madrid bounced back from their surprise defeat to Real Sociedad before the international break with a 3-1 win over Malaga on Saturday to move to within a point of leaders Real Madrid.
The hosts looked on course for a comfortable victory as Tiago nodded them into an early lead from Koke's corner before Antoine Griezmann tapped home at the end of a flowing move to double the lead just before halftime.
Roque Santa Cruz briefly gave the visitors, who had won their previous five La Liga games, hope when he volleyed home Samu Castillejo's wonderful cross 26 minutes from time, but their hopes of a point dissipated when Samuel Sanchez was shown a second yellow card just nine minutes later.
Diego Godin wrapped up the three points as he powered home a header from close range seven minutes from time, but Atletico also ended the game with 10 men as captain Gabi picked up his second booking of the afternoon in the closing stages.
Real Madrid can restore their four-point lead over Atletico when they visit Basque minnows Eibar, while Barcelona host Sevilla later on Saturday.
Atletico had a strong penalty appeal turned down early on when Koke's fierce strike was deflected behind by the arms of Sergio Sanchez, yet it mattered little as from the resulting corner Diego Simeone's men continued their incredible run of scoring from set-pieces this season when Tiago flicked home Koke's cross at the near post.
However, the home side also showed their ability on the ball in their second goal as a lovely interchange between Arda Turan and Mario Mandzukic freed the Turkish international to roll the ball across goal for Griezmann to slot in his fifth goal of the season.
Gabi should have made it 3-0 when he pulled a shot wide at the start of the second period, while Carlos Kameni did well to parry substitute Raul Jimenez's powerful header as Atletico continued to push forward.
Yet Malaga got back into the game with a moment of real quality as Castillejo's dipping cross was acrobatically turned home by Santa Cruz on the stretch.
Godin then had to make a vital interception to prevent Sanchez the chance of scoring an unlikely equaliser, but the visitors' momentum was disrupted when he was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence.
Griezmann passed up two clear chances to seal the three points as firstly he fired into the side-netting after a huge error from Kameni presented the Frenchman with a clear sight of goal and Godin and Jimenez waiting for a cut-back.
The former Sociedad player then tried to be too unselfish as he overhit his intended pass for Jimenez when he ought to have gone for goal himself with just Kameni to beat moments later.
Those wasted opportunities weren't to prove costly, though, as after another Kameni flap, Tiago's looped cross was powered home by Godin at the back post.
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