Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. came off the bench to snatch a 1-1 draw at home to Real Sociedad on Monday although the Spanish champion still lost momentum in the title race ahead of next week's showdown at leader Atletico Madrid.
Still missing key players due to injuries, Zinedine Zidane's Madrid side hit the bar twice in the first half but the visitors took the lead in the 55th minute with a towering header from forward Portu.
Toni Kroos came close to leveling with a curling effort that just missed the target but Brazilian youngster Vinicius eventually found an equalizer in the 89th minute with a deflected effort from inside the area.
Madrid had the chance to move within three points of Atletico ahead of Sunday's derby but the draw left them third on 53 points from 25 games, level with second-placed Barcelona and five adrift of Diego Simeone's side, who has a game in hand.
"We had a good first half, we started the second badly then they scored a great goal. We got one back but there was no time left to get a second," said Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois.
The visitor felt it should have had been awarded a penalty in the first half when Nacho Monreal was felled by Casemiro, yet Madrid looked the more dangerous side despite only managing one shot on target before the break.
Striker Mariano's header was glanced onto the crossbar by Sociedad's Andoni Gorosabel while the loose ball fell to Marco Asensio, whose shot was deflected wide for a corner from which Raphael Varane header hit the top of the bar.
Casemiro fizzed a shot from distance just wide, while Luka Modric was the only player who actually tested visiting keeper Alex Remiro.
After taking the lead against the run of play through Portu's thumping header, Sociedad should have killed the game off as Alexander Isak narrowly failed to connect with a cross from Portu, while Robin Le Normand came close with a header.
Madrid lacked composure and ideas but maintained its hunger to find an equalizer and finally got one with a scrappy goal, Lucas Vazquez serving a low cross which bobbled around the box and was knocked in by Vinicius with the aid of a deflection.
"We leave here with a bad taste as we fought for 93 minutes and gave everything," said Sociedad's Portu. "We tried to hold on for the win but they kept attacking and got the equalizer."
The draw leaves Sociedad fifth on 42 points from 25 matches, six behind fourth-placed Sevilla who has a game in hand.
Everton sinks Southampton
Richarlison’s early goal for Everton secured a 1-0 Premier League win over ailing Southampton to compound the woes for the visitor who has taken one point from the last 27 available.
Seventh-placed Everton is now level with Liverpool on 43 points with a game in hand and still very much in the hunt for the European places, while Southampton remains in 14th spot, seven points above the relegation zone.
In a game of few chances, it was Everton who had the better of them as it ended a poor run to claim a first home victory in six games at Goodison Park.
Richarlison provided a neat finish to Gylfi Sigurdsson’s perfect through ball after nine minutes to win the game after another toothless display from Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.
Securing a top-four finish this season would be a dream for Everton, the Merseyside club's manager Carlo Ancelotti said.
Everton is seventh on the table with 43 points after 25 games, two points below fourth-placed West Ham United who has played a game more.
A win over second-from-bottom West Bromwich Albion on Thursday would move Everton into fourth ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea, who play each other later the same evening.
"It will be a dream to be in the top four at the end of the season," Ancelotti said.
"We have to put all our effort into the game on Thursday to try to be there, it is a real possibility. It doesn't matter how long we can be there, but just to see how we feel if we are there.
"There will be a big fight until the end of the season and we have to be pleased we can fight for that position.
"But it doesn't change our target, which is to be in Europe next season."