Atletico were 4-0 winners over rivals Real, going 2-0 up in the 18th minute at the Vicente Calderon before second-half strikes to Antoine Griezmann and Mario Mandzukic.
Tiago and Saul scored four minutes apart early, the latter an early substitute for the injured Koke, and he produced a bicycle kick to double Atletico's lead.
Griezmann tried a bicycle kick of his own early in the second half with less success, but Saul eventually assisted the France forward for Atletico's third - Griezmann poking home in the 67th minute.
A Mandzukic header from Fernando Torres' cross capped Atletico's rout late on.
Levante trailed early to seventh-placed Malaga but stormed home to win 4-1 in front of their home faithful - their first league victory since November.
A David Barral hat-trick - aided by two penalties - lifted Levante, before Kalu Uche added their fourth goal in the 75th minute.
Villarreal moved level on points with Valencia in fifth, courtesy of a 2-0 home win over Granada - the latter sitting second-bottom after Levante's success.
Celta de Vigo (10th) stayed above Real Sociedad (12th), after equalising late against them for a 1-1 draw.
Imanol Agirretxe's eighth-minute opener was cancelled out late by Celta's Nolito in the 85th minute, keeping the latter two points ahead of Sociedad.
