Right then, I’ll bid farewell because Ben Fisher is the man to read. Here’s his report from Villa Park.
Results from elsewhere. Leverkusen’s stubborn refusal to ever lose is rather something.
Olympiakos’ players have lined up and are bouncing in front of the visiting support. A wonderful time for all who’ve travelled over.
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What a fantastic night for Olympiakos and, in particular, their No 9, El Kaabi. He was clinical, following up a first-half brace with a second-half penalty. He returns home with the match ball. Villa could have narrowed the deficit to one, but Douglas Luiz’s penalty was wayward.
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FULL-TIME: Aston Villa 2-4 Olympiakos
Villa, for the first time in the Europa Conference League this season, lose at home.
90+5 min: Watkins shows clever feet inside the box before a heavy touch sees the ball escape his control and go out for a goal kick.
90+4 min: Olympiakos clear long as Villa try and neatly work it around the box.
90+2 min: Villa work it well to the left, where Digne delivers the ball in … but the very solid Tzolakis cleverly collects in the middle.
90+1 min: Five minutes added on, with Retsos down inside his own box, eating up some of that.
90 min: Durán tries to win the goal of the millennium award with an acrobatic effort from the edge of the box but fails to make proper contact.
88 min: Tim Smith writes: “Was so hoping the Olympiacos number 23 would score an own goal or get a red card, so we could all say: ‘Rodinei, you plonker.’ On another note, the Prem teams without recent European experience are really getting found out by some modest teams with that experience. Or are Villa just missing Emi?”
87 min: Luiz drifts through the middle before playing a nice pass on to the advancing McGinn. His left-footed shot lacks in strength and intent, however, finding the safe hands of Tzolakis.
84 min: Diaby is off for Zaniolo. Bailey is replaced by Iroegbunam. Villa are desperate.
Douglas Luiz misses the penalty!
There’s a delay as players tussle outside the box ... Douglas Luiz clips the outside of the right post!
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Penalty for Aston Villa!
82 min: Durán goes down and the ref points to the spot! There’s a handball shout in there before Carmo brings down the forward to make it a clear call.
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80 min: Fortounis delivers a gorgeous, teasing ball into the box from the right that is just about dealt with by Villa. A corner follows for Olympiakos and a shot from range is saved well by Olsen, diving to his left.
78 min: Douglas Luiz sends it in; Watkins heads wide.
77 min: Villa have a free-kick out on the right, one to get into the box.
74 min: Durán is on for Villa as Emery goes in search of a goal or two. Even one will leave them feeling good for that second leg.
73 min: Nice work between Watkins, Digne and Rogers sees the midfielder slide the ball across goal from the left. Keeper reads it well.
72 min: Watkins’ first touch inside the box from a Rogers pass is heavy, and he has to work it back for a shot on his right foot. Straight at the keeper, though.
70 min: Podence steals the ball centrally but can’t dink the ball in to El Kaabi’s feet inside the box. That’s Podence’s last act in what’s been a superb individual performance; André Horta replaces him.
GOAL! Aston Villa 2-4 Olympiakos (Hezze 67)
Deflected and in! Hezze tries his luck from just outside the box, the ball ricochets off Konsa’s back and Olsen, who was moving to his left, tries to adjust but can’t do enough to keep it out.
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65 min: Lenglet cleans up a long ball at the back and Villa’s fans roar as they come forward again.
64 min: Rogers’ cross from the right is lashed into the side-netting.
63 min: The good news for Villa? Chelsea have beaten Tottenham.
61 min: Villa work it wonderfully through the middle, with Watkins running on to the final pass played … but Tzolakis reads it quickly and rushes out of his box to clear. It rebounds off Watkins but flies safely out for a goal kick.
59 min: Rogers turns well and plays in Watkins inside the box. He delivers from the left to the front post where Diaby attacks the ball. Corner. It comes in and Olympiakos deal with it and the leftovers from it.
GOAL! Aston Villa 2-3 Olympiakos (El Kaabi 56)
Hat-trick for El Kaabi! He steps up and, with ease, clips it down the left. Olsen went the other way. Olympiakos are, rather quickly, back in front.
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Penalty for Olympiakos!
55 min: Olympiakos have a corner from the right, and Fortounis delivers deep with Retsos’ header blocked … and it’s a penalty! Luiz is the man who got in the way, and at close range, his hands were up.
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GOAL! Aston Villa 2-2 Olympiakos (Diaby 52)
And we’re level! Lenglet plays it out wide to Bailey on the right who plays a neat ball into the box for Diaby to chase on to. Instead of cutting back he tries his luck at goal, and the ball creeps in at the near post from a very tight angle. Villa are ascendant.
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51 min: Villa take possession of the ball and look sharp now, having fired off a wave of attacks to begin this half.
50 min: Rogers shows strength to turn and drive through the middle before Bailey’s shot from the right is blocked by Richards. Villa continue to press forward, with McGinn’s shot from the edge of the box blocked, too.
49 min: Bailey overhits an inside pass for Diaby to chase on to inside the box. Diaby offers a thumbs up, clearly liking what his teammate was trying.
48 min: Podence dinks a ball in to the Villa box, something he relished doing in the first half. El Kaabi doesn’t snatch on to this one.
47 min: Rodinei rushes down the right-hand side and wins a couple of throws before Villa win it back.
Peep again!
Olympiakos make a change: Omar Richards replaces Ortega. Villa get things going.
The players are making their way back out. Should be going again pretty soon.
A medical emergency in the crowd has delayed the start of the second half. Hope all’s OK.
HALF-TIME: Aston Villa 1-2 Olympiakos
Carnage! What a terrific first 45. Villa were poor to begin with, with El Kaabi making two excellent runs to get in behind and finish with aplomb. But Emery dished out a mid-half hairdryer during a brief stoppage and they’re on it now, with Watkins – so reliable for them – completing a fine team move at the end of the half.
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45+3 min: Villa press forward and Luiz’s shot flies over – but the hosts have finally found their intensity.
GOAL! Aston Villa 1-2 Olympiakos (Watkins 45+1)
Game on! Cash drives down the right, plays the ball to Diaby in the middle, who works a delicious pass into the box for Watkins to leap on to. The low first-time finish from the right-hand side of the area slides past Tzolakis and Villa believe.
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45 min: There’s contact between the pair but it does look like Bailey is looking for the tangle.
44 min: Bailey twists and turns inside the box and goes down … but the ref isn’t having any of it. No penalty. Ortega is the man who tangled with the Villa winger.
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43 min: Olympiakos go short with a corner before it’s worked in to the middle, nearly dropping perfectly for El Kaabi to have a hit … but he plays it safe and opts for the pass. A goalkick is the end point of the attack.
42 min: Cash goes through the back of Podence with a leaping header – Villa just slightly losing their cool.
40 min: Podence and Luiz have a spat, and the ref intervenes to calm things down.
39 min: Podence leads Olympiakos’ counterattack and Fortounis hits a drive from the right … that just goes over Olsen and the crossbar. Another promising wave forward from the tourists.
38 min: Villa move the ball well through the middle, all the way to Bailey … but he can’t sort his feet out and get a shot off from the edge of the box.
37 min: Luiz lays it off short to McGinn who shoots inside the box with his left … and wins a corner. The ball in is cleared at the near post.
36 min: Cash slides in a ball down the line for Bailey to chase, and he’s fouled on the edge of the box, Carmo sliding in and causing the damage.
34 min: McGinn’s corner from the right is overhit, summing up Villa’s lack of finesse at present.
33 min: Luiz, hairdryer complete, picks it up in midfield and Villa attack down the right as Cash breaks into the box and Bailey picks up the leftovers, winning a corner.
31 min: Unai Emery is going absolutely ballistic at Douglas Luiz.
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GOAL! Aston Villa 0-2 Olympiakos (El Kaabi 29)
A gorgeous assist. Villa lose it in midfield, Olympiakos work it quickly to Podence, who drifts into the middle from the left, and he dinks the ball over the backline for El Kaabi to run on to inside the box from the right. He heads the bouncing ball down and slides it past the advancing Olsen into the net. What an incredible opening 30 for the Greek side.
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28 min: Olympiakos happy to just send the ball high towards their centre forward, El Kaabi, and see what carnage that causes.
27 min: A long Olympiakos ball from the back tries to find El Kaabi but it’s headed away. Iborra wins the ball in the middle as the visitors circulate the ball before another long punt finds Olsen.
25 min: Diaby tries to play Watkins inside the box, but there are two Olympiakos shirts hanging tight on the Villa striker, and the ball runs out for a goal kick.
23 min: The Villa fans are still going. Olympiakos are fuelled by the atmosphere at the moment, though, as Fortounis drives forward for the visitors.
21 min: Olsen just about brushes away a corner that flies deep. Fortounis tries to work it back into a dangerous area, but his long diagonal ball goes out.
20 min: Podence is causing problems, sliding in Ortega to cross from the left. It’s blocked for a corner.
GOAL! Aston Villa 0-1 Olympiakos (El Kaabi 16)
Another disallowed goal! This time it’s Olympiakos who suffer, with a neat Chiquinho flick finding El Kaabi, who slots confidently past Olsen with his left foot inside the box and turns away in celebration … before it’s cut short by the flag going up. Oh, wait a second. There’s a VAR check and it’s given! The line’s drawn and he’s declared onside, Cash playing him on at right back. Villa are left stunned.
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15 min: Watkins is clutching on to his right arm, in quite a bit of pain. That’s just after a Douglas Luiz hit from range that has an awkward bounce – but it’s dealt with by the keeper.
14 min: Villa almost get a bit too cute, with Bailey cutting in from the right and passing before the ball works its way to Digne as Olympiakos retreat and manage.
9 min: Disallowed goal! Luiz goes short with the corner and gets it back to dink a ball to the far post where Konsa gets on the end of it, working it across goal before Bailey heads in from close range … but the celebrations are quickly cut short. Apparently there was a foul in the buildup, Lenglet on Iborra.
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8 min: Villa have settled in, working it around midfield before Digne tries to slide in a cross from the left. The ball is diverted out for a corner …
6 min: Cash advances up the field before the ball works it way to Rogers, who delivers a fine curling effort from the edge of the box … Tzolakis gets down to his left and pushes out for a corner. A terrific effort. Villa can’t capitalise from the corner.
4 min: A bright opening for Olympiakos, who look lively and keen to spoil the party. Podence is operating on the left and has enjoyed himself in the early moments.
2 min: The Villa supporters break into song before Podence delivers a sublime ball into the box with the outside of his right foot, and Iborra gets a head on it at the far post, with Olsen tipping it over the bar. The flag goes up … but I reckon he might well have still been on.
1 min: Olympiakos knock it around at the back before Podence overhits an ambitious ball into the Villa box.
Peep!
Villa are in their usual claret and blue; Olympiakos rock a peculiar grey, orange number. The visitors kick off.
“Good luck to Villa tonight,” writes Ian Sargeant, a gracious West Ham supporter. “Keep the ribbons on the trophy. Best non family night of my life in prague last year.”
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Just 10 minutes away now. Feel free to drop me a line with your thoughts, queries, film recs, life advice, whatever you fancy.
I’ve crunched the numbers and I believe Villa have five changes to the starting XI from their quarter-final second leg against Lille, including Robin Olsen replacing the suspended Martínez in goal. Olympiacos have two changes from their last-eight clash with Fenerbahce, with former Manchester City man Stefan Jovetic beginning on the bench. Another Olympiakos name familiar to Our League is Daniel Podence, on loan from Wolves, who starts.
Just in case you don’t want my company (your loss, but I won’t take any – *he sobs* – offence).
The teams
Here’s how they’re looking …
Your semi-final Aston Villa team! 👊 pic.twitter.com/fTb5Zk6pc2
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) May 2, 2024
Η ενδεκάδα της ομάδας μας για το ματς κόντρα στην Άστον Βίλα! / Our line-up for today’s match against Aston Villa! 🔴⚪️#Olympiacos #ASTOLY #UECL pic.twitter.com/flk5zoSqyE
— Olympiacos FC (@olympiacosfc) May 2, 2024
Aston Villa: Olsen, Cash, Konsa, Lenglet, Digne, McGinn, Douglas Luiz, Bailey, Diaby, Rogers, Watkins
Subs: Diego Carlos, Torres, Gauci, Zaniolo, Duran, Kesler-Hayden, Iroegbunam, Wright, Munroe, Kellyman, Young
Olympiakos: Tzolakis, Rodinei, Retsos, Carmo, Ortega, Hezze, Iborra, Chiquinho, Podence, El Kaabi, Fortounis
Subs: Paschalakis, Horta, El-Arabi, Alexandropoulos, Quini, Carvalho, Jovetic, Richards, Papadoudis, Prekates
Referee: Marco Guida (Italy)
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Here’s Ben Fisher on the wonderful time Villa are having.
Preamble
Good evening and welcome to coverage of Olympiakos’ trip over to Villa Park for the first leg of this Europa Conference League semi-final tie. Unai Emery’s priority is the Premier League but as a serial Europa League winner he knows how good continental success tastes; this really is a massive night in Aston Villa’s modern history, a chance to replicate the scenes taken in by West Ham last year. They’ll have to get through it without a major figure, though, with Emi Martínez, their chief mischief-maker, missing through suspension. Nervy, even just a little? They must be.
The Greek side had their own penalty joy in the quarter-finals, beating Fenerbahce 3-2 in the shootout after Konstantinos Tzolakis, just 21 years of age, made three saves. Their season began in the Europa League and included a victory over West Ham, but they exited at the group stage before defeating Ferencváros, Maccabi Tel Aviv and the relatively star-studded Turkish outfit to get to this point. Villa have won all of their home games in this European run; a difficult night lies ahead for their opponents. Kick-off’s at 8pm BST.
