Getafe picked up what could prove to be a vital victory as Michel's goal proved to be enough to beat Malaga 1-0 at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez.
The Madrid club came into the contest one place off the bottom of the table after a poor start which had seen them collect just three points from five games.
However victory for Cosmin Contra's side saw them move, albeit temporarily, up to 12th, one place below their opponents.
After a slow start to the game where neither goalkeeper was tested, Carlos Kameni was called into action after 19 minutes repelling Michel's left-footed effort from inside the box.
Getafe's Sergio Escudero put in an impressive block after 23 minutes to deny Roberto Rosales, while Sergio Sanchez should have tested Vicente Guaita but his header from close range missed the target.
And Sanchez would live to regret that miss when, a minute later, Getafe went ahead though Michel's left-footed strike wheich nestled into the roof of the net.
Three minutes before the break Oliveira Weligton was called up on to deny Abdoul Yoda's shot from inside the box as Getafe went into the break ahead.
Both sides made changes at the interval with Papa Baba Diawara replaced by Jorge Sammir for the home side while Malaga brought on Jimenez Juanmi and Sergio Duda for Nordin Amrabat and Nacho Camacho in a bid to improve their fortunes.
Neither side began the second period with any real urgency and ti took until the 61st minute for either side to register a shot with Duda's 25-yard effort sailing over the bar.
After 62 minutes Luis Alberto replaced Garcia Samuel as time ticked down for the the visitors, but in what turned out to be a low-key last 10 minutes, Arthur Boka was the only Malaga player to get a shot away and his was off target.