With second-placed Barcelona hammering Levante 5-1 earlier on Sunday, Getafe's win means there is now just two points separating the leading pair, although Real will be fuming at the goal that saw them lose a league game at home for the first time in a year.

While the majority of the home side were celebrating an Arjen Robben goal that had been disallowed, Getafe launched a rapid counter-attack that was finished off by Ikechukwu Uche.

Real had beaten Real Valladolid 7-0 in their last appearance at home, but the champions had also lost three of their previous four competitive matches and Bernd Schuster's side lacked spark for much of the game.

It might have been so different if Ruud van Nistelrooy had made the most of his half-chance in the fourth minute, but the Dutchman saw his chipped effort from the edge of the box sail over the bar with Roberto Abbondanzieri well off his line.

If that had gone in, it would have been Van Nistelrooy's 50th goal for Real, but the chance was missed and the hosts found it difficult to get out of first gear.

Raul and Guti had two of the home side's few openings before the break, but quick thinking by Abbondanzieri denied Raul for the first and then a poor header by the unmarked Guti let Getafe off the hook for the second.

At the other end, Getafe caused a few nervous moments for Real with a couple of rapid counter-attacks but, like Abbondanzieri, Iker Casillas had little to do in the home goal.

It was much of the same at the start of the second half, with Raul firing well over for Real and Pablo Hernandez doing likewise for Getafe soon after.

Julio Baptista and Guti then went closer with efforts from the edge of the box as Real looked to be turning the screw.

However, Getafe took a shock lead in the 64th minute with a bizarre goal that will surely set all of Spain talking this week.

It had looked as though Real themselves had scored when Robben fired home Raul's cross after Abbondanzieri had done well to parry away Miguel Torres' low shot.

But while most of the Real players were celebrating near the corner flag, referee Arturo Dauden Ibanez had disallowed the goal - Raul had been offside - and Getafe took full advantage to charge down the other end and score.

Francisco Casquero led the breakaway, which saw a plethora of Getafe players faced only with two Real defenders, and Uche was on hand at the end to slot home past Casillas.

That goal seemed to rock Real back on their heels and Getafe went close to netting a second with 12 minutes to go when Juan Angel Albin's long-range effort forced Casillas into a sprawling stop.

Real had no answer in the closing minutes with Robben firing over one of their few efforts as Michael Laudrup's Getafe held on for a famous victory.