Neymar returns for Santos against Atlético-MG, recalling iconic 2012 Vila Belmiro goal | OneFootball

According to Diario Do Peixe, Neymar will be Santos’s major return for Saturday’s Campeonato Brasileiro match against Atlético-MG at Vila Belmiro, kick-off 20:00.

He faces the side against whom he scored one of the finest goals of his career. That strike came in the 2012 Brasileirão at Vila Belmiro on 17 October, in a game that finished 2-2.

Wearing the number 200 shirt to mark 200 matches for Santos, he received the ball with his back to goal near halfway. He slipped past Rafael Marques, then evaded Leonardo Silva.

Accelerating into space, he also beat full-back Júnior César, shifted onto his right foot and feinted to shoot. After wrong-footing goalkeeper Victor, he guided the ball into the corner.

Almost 14 years on, that finish remains lodged among the best of his nearly 460 career goals. Its memory fuels hope of another standout display from Neymar at a time when Santos need him most.

Source: Diario Do Peixe