Real Madrid's response to Barcelona winning the title on Saturday night was to slip to a 0-1 defeat at Vallecas and fall 18 points behind La Liga's newly-crowned champions.
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.
Gareth Bale departed again to whistles with 14 minutes left, a conciliatory hand slap from Zinedine Zidane offering little consolation as he trudged off.
The victory ends a run of four consecutive home defeats and means Real Madrid reduce the gap to nine points behind Barcelona.
Santiago Solari was speaking at a press conference ahead of Tuesday's meeting with Ajax at the Bernabeu in the Champions League.
Gareth Bale refused to celebrate his 78th-minute match-winning goal against Levante.
Real Madrid's fifth league win in a row means they sit second in La Liga for the first time since September, above Atletico Madrid.
Gareth Bale had been out since January 3 with a calf strain but made an instant impact off the bench for Real Madrid.
Gareth Bale scored in the 44th, 53rd and 55th minutes at the Zayed Sports City Stadium.
In his last nine matches, Gareth Bale has been taken off seven times, five of those when Real Madrid were chasing a goal.
Real Madrid set the record for the longest goal-drought in the club's history during a surprise 2-1 defeat by Levante.
After eight games in La Liga, Barcelona are second with 15 points while Real Madrid are fourth with 14 points.
Gareth Bale will not be available for Wales vs Republic of Ireland Nations League clash.
Paco Alcacer netted twice in the first half to make it eight goals in 14 Spain appearances.
Bale has been troubled by a groin injury in recent weeks and was forced off in the closing stages of Real Madrid's defeat at Alaves.
Gareth Bale and Kevin De Bruyne were among the first 10 nominees for the Ballon d'Or award announced on Monday.
Madrid have gone three games without scoring, after their surprise Champions League loss to CSKA Moscow on Tuesday followed a draw against Atletico Madrid and defeat to Sevilla.
Gareth Bale picked up a thigh injury during the goalless draw with Atletico Madrid on Saturday and had to come off at half-time.
