Vin├нcius J├║nior sent his low shot into the net and rushed to the sideline, jumping over the barrier and going into the stands to be quickly engulfed by Real Madrid fans.
It was a scene that wouldn’t have been possible during the last 18 months.
With goals by Vin├нcius J├║nior and debutant Eduardo Camavinga and a hat trick by Karim Benzema, Madrid twice came from behind before comfortably beating Celta Vigo 5-2 in the Spanish league on Sunday. The game marked Madrid’s return to the Santiago Bernab├йu Stadium more than 18 months after it was closed because of the coronavirus pandemic and a massive renovation project.
тАЬIt was a special night for us,тАЭ Benzema said. тАЬI always say that we need the support of the fans and today they gave all they had to help us again.тАЭ
The remodeling of the Bernab├йu is not expected to finish until 2022 but the stadium reopened to a limited crowd of 19,874 in the first match at the venue since March 1, 2020, when Madrid defeated Barcelona 2-0 with Zinedine Zidane still as its coach.
Defending champion Atl├йtico Madrid earlier also needed to rally to avoid a disappointing result in a milestone match, scoring two late goals тАФ including one in the ninth minute of stoppage time тАФ to beat Espanyol 2-1 in Antoine Griezmann’s first game back since a stint with Barcelona.
Madrid took advantage of the prohibition on spectators in stadiums because of the pandemic to accelerate the construction work at the Bernab├йu while it played its home matches at the small Alfredo Di St├йfano Stadium in the clubтАЩs training complex. It played three straight away matches in the first three rounds this season to get the venue ready for crowds again.
The seating areas that are still not available to the public, mostly in the lower sections of the stadium, were blocked off and covered up, and there was a lot of construction work still visible inside and outside the venue. The huge structures that will hold the stadiumтАЩs new retractable roof are already in position.
On the field, it was Celta that opened the scoring with Santi Mina finding the net from inside the area after a defensive mistake by Madrid only four minutes into the match.
Benzema equalized with a shot from inside the area after a pass by Federico Valverde, but Celta retook the lead in a breakaway in the 31st with Franco Cervi finding the net from close range.
Benzema had a goal disallowed for offside in the 39th but equalized again with a header at the start of the second half. Vin├нcius J├║nior scored the go-ahead goal in a breakaway in the 54th and was shown a yellow card for his celebration with the fans. Camavinga, making his debut off the bench after being signed at the transfer deadline, added to the lead from close range in the 72nd.
Benzema, already the league’s leading scorer with five goals, closed the scoring by converting a late penalty kick prompted by a nice move by Vin├нcius J├║nior inside the area.
The victory left Madrid at the top of the standings with 10 points from four matches, tied with Valencia and Atl├йtico.
The match was postponed from Saturday to give more time to rest for players from national teams that participated in South American World Cup qualifiers.
ATL├ЙTICO RALLIES LATE
Thomas Lemar scored deep into stoppage time to give Atl├йtico the win at Espanyol in Griezmann’s first match back on loan from Barcelona.
The France forward had a lackluster performance, being substituted early in the second half by Jo├гo F├йlix, who hadnтАЩt played this season because of injury.
Ra├║l de Tom├бs put the hosts ahead with a header in the 40th but Yannick Carrasco equalized in the 79th and Lemar got the winner with a shot from inside the area in the ninth minute of injury time after an assist by Carrasco. The ball found the net after deflecting off the goalkeeperтАЩs hand and the crossbar.
The match had 10 minutes of stoppage time after it was interrupted for a water break along with a couple of video reviews.
Griezmann is back with Atl├йtico on a one-year loan from Barcelona, where he never met the high expectations of his 2019 transfer from Atl├йtico for 120 million euros ($142 million). He had played five seasons under Atl├йtico coach Diego Simeone before that.
OTHER RESULTS
Valencia conceded early but recovered to win 4-1 at Osasuna for its second win in a row.
Real Sociedad picked up its third consecutive victory with a 2-0 win at C├бdiz thanks to late goals by Mikel Oyarzabal.
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
___
Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni
