The continental basement of the Alboran Sea basin at Site 976 (Holes 976B and 976E) has undergone decompression during the development of the most conspicuous fabric (foliation S2) in the rocks. This is observed in two distinctive PT paths for the high-grade schist and the gneiss during D2, followed by a nearly isobaric cooling path. We have documented misleading thermobarometric estimates because of the widespread occurrence of disequilibrium assemblages. Based on phase relationships and critical use of the geothermobarometric data, we suggest that the decompression path occurred at least from 8-7 to 3 kbar at 650°-700°C in the high-grade schist, and from 5 to 3 kbar at 700°-750°C in the gneiss. These PT conditions are similar to those obtained in the Alpujárride units underlying the Ronda peridotite slab in the Western Betic Cordillera (see revision in Sánchez-Gómez et al., Chap. 23, this volume). After decompression, cooling was near isobaric (P < 3 kbar), which led to a probably rapid crystallization of residual melts within the andalusite stability field (T ~ 600°C).