Real Madrid's dwindling hopes of retaining their Primera Division crown could finally have been extinguished after they slumped to a comprehensive defeat to Valencia, a result that means Barcelona can now clinch the title.
Madrid had gone into the clash at the Mestalla seven points adrift of Barca and knowing anything other than victory would allow the Catalan giants the chance to play for the championship against Villarreal at the Nou Camp 24 hours later.
Knowing what they needed to do and then going out and achieving it proved beyond the two-time reigning champions though, as goals from Juan Mata, David Silva and Ruben Baraja earned impressive Valencia the spoils.
Looking to exorcise the ghosts of last weekend's 6-2 home mauling by Barca, Madrid would have been desperate for a good - and winning - performance against fourth-placed Valencia but instead it was the home side who seemed like the team chasing the title.
They took the game by the scruff of the neck early on and dominated throughout.
It took Los Che just four minutes to fire out the first warning shot when Baraja's header was superbly saved by Iker Casillas.
Madrid briefly responded with a goal-bound Marcelo shot that was blocked, but Valencia deservedly went ahead in the 28th minute through Mata following a slick move.
Carlos Marchena, Silva and David Villa were all involved before former Madrid youngster Mata eased past Fabio Cannavaro and drilled his shot under Casillas.
Villa then went close with a low shot that fizzed just wide of the far post before Valencia doubled their lead in the 31st minute through another of their Spain internationals, Silva.
He was allowed to progress unchecked into the area before firing in a low shot that fellow Euro 2008 winner Casillas got his hands to at his near post, but could not keep out.
Valencia continued to make most of the running and Casillas denied Mata just before the break before Baraja spurned a great chance to make it 3-0 in the 55th minute when he wildly blazed over from close range following a clever one-two with Villa.
That opportunity fell on Baraja's less-favored left foot, but the veteran midfielder showed in the 68th minute that he cannot use that as an excuse for the miss as he rifled home a brilliant goal with the same part of his body.
Pablo Hernandez chipped a cross back to the edge of the box where Baraja sent a fantastic first-time volley flying past Casillas and into the bottom corner of the net.
That was game, set and match for this contest, and very possibly for the Primera Division title race as well, as deflated Madrid, who had claimed a club-record eight successive away wins prior to this match, could find no way through the Valencia defense.
The result was not only great news for Barca though, as Valencia's victory means Unai Emery's Champions League-chasing side now boast a four-point lead over Atletico Madrid and Villarreal, who both face tricky games.
