MADRID - Robinho went from villain to hero to earn Real Madrid victory in a thrilling Champions League clash against 10-man Olympiacos at the Bernabeu.
The Brazilian had been omitted from Real's squad for the 2-1 defeat at Espanyol this weekend after returning late from international duty.
But he was back in the Real starting line-up and, despite suffering jeers from the home fans following some first-half mistakes, he won the Bernabeu crowd around with a match-winning display after the break.
With Real losing 2-1 to an Olympiacos side who had lost defender Vassilis Torosidis to a red card after just 12 minutes, Robinho took the game by the scruff of the neck with two goals as well as winning his side a penalty.
Ruud van Nistelrooy missed that spot-kick when the score was at 2-2, but Robinho saved his blushes to put Real ahead soon after.
Robinho then set up substitute Javier Balboa following a breakaway in the final minute to complete a stunning Real victory and a fine second-half display from the Brazilian.
Real could hardly have asked for a better start to the game, with Raul putting them ahead after just two minutes.
Robinho did well to rob an Olympiacos defender 40 yards out before sending Van Nistelrooy away.
The Dutchman was just unable to lift the ball over the out-rushing Antonios Nikopolidis, who blocked the shot, but Raul was on hand to side-foot home.
Real's joy lasted just five minutes though before Olympiacos drew level.
Olympiacos captain Predrag Djordjevic made good ground down the left before firing in a low cross that former Atletico Madrid ace Luciano Galletti picked up on the edge of the area before slotting past Iker Casillas.
It was a frantic start to the match, and there was further incident to come in the early stages with Olympiacos losing Torosidis to a red card after he dragged down Van Nistelrooy on the edge of the area.
Despite that though, the visitors could have taken the lead but Djordjevic headed a great chance wide from just seven yards out.
Robinho then had a great opportunity on the stroke of half-time following a clever Guti pass, but Nikopolidis was quickly off his line to deny the Brazilian as the half finished all-square.
Olympiacos caused a sensation just moments after the re-start when they took the lead through former Real centre-back Julio Cesar.
Djordjevic was again the creator, sending in a free-kick from the right that Julio Cesar diverted past Casillas from 12 yards out.
Lua Lua could then have put the Greeks 3-1 up on the breakaway as Real piled men forward in search of the equaliser, but Casillas saved.
The Spanish champions were struggling to create any clear-cut chances, but they made the most of the one they did fashion in the 68th minute when Robinho equalised.
Another clever Guti pass put Fernando Gago through on the right and his cross to the far post was headed home by his Robinho.
Robinho then won his side a penalty eight minutes later, dazzling right-back Christos Patsatzoglou with a series of stepovers before going down under the right-back's challenge.
The Olympiacos players felt no foul had been committed, and they will feel vindicated as Van Nistelrooy blazed the resulting spot-kick over the bar.
Olympiacos had a great opening to re-take the lead with 10 minutes to go when Djordjevic was sent clear, but the visiting skipper saw his low drive palmed away by Casillas.
Real continued to push forward, and Van Nistelrooy went someway to making amends for his penalty miss when his reverse pass allowed Robinho space to smash an unstoppable shot past Nikopolidis to put the Spanish giants 3-2 ahead.
Bernd Schuster's men might easily have surrendered the victory late on though when some poor defending allowed Leonel Nunez and Darko Kovacevic chances to score.
But Casillas saved them both - the second one from Kovacevic being a stunning one-handed stop - and Real raced down the other end in injury-time to seal the win through Balboa.
