Real Madrid's dreary end to the season took another turn for the worse on Thursday as they were left holding on for a goalless draw away to Champions League chasers Getafe.
Just 48 hours before Barcelona are set to be celebrating a 26th La Liga title at Camp Nou, Madrid drifted to a stalemate that leaves them 15 points behind the soon-to-be champions and, on this evidence, with significant ground to make up.
It says something that Getafe were, in the end, disappointed not to win here, Sevilla's 5-0 thrashing of Rayo Vallecano before kick-off meaning they stay fourth, only by virtue of a superior head-to-head.
Real Madrid were mathematically ruled out of the title race after Barcelona beat Alaves on Tuesday while Atletico Madrid look likely to finish above them too for a second consecutive year.
Zinedine Zidane has insisted La Liga will be the club's "bread and butter" next season, their priority ahead of the Champions League after seven years with only one league title to their name.
But they have work to do, with very few of his squad showing many reasons to keep them this summer and several more looking like they could well be replaced.
"The shame today is we deserved more," Zidane said. "We created chances, in the first half especially. I am not happy with the result, but with the way we played, our concentration, I am happy."