Thank you very much for joining me.
Here is Ben Fisher’s report.
There are plenty of celebrations on the pitch. Players and fans are having a cracking time.
Ends in mildly comical fashion as McGinn and the referee fear a pitch invasion. The officials allow Villa players to get as close to the tunnel before blowing the whistle but there is no invasion and everyone shakes hands.
Full time! Olympiakos 2-0 Aston Villa (agg 6-2)
The Greek side have earned this over two legs. What a special night for Olympiakos.
90+3 mins: We are at walking pace.
Updated
90+1 mins: The scarves are being swung around by the home fans. It will be loud at full time.
90 mins: Four minutes added on.
Updated
88 mins: Even the Villa players have given up on this. I think the main aim is to get the kids a view touches on the ball.
86 mins: Olympiakos have been more clinical over the two legs and that is the big difference here. They will enjoy having the final in Athens, even if it is at AEK’s ground. Fiorentina await for them.
Kellyman, Munroe and Kesler-Hayden are on. Cash, Digne and Bailey exit.
84 mins: Emery has called for the kids. What a fun night out for them. I assume it does not want to risk any injuries at this stage.
82 mins: The ground is certainly bouncing now. It is a shame Villa could not reach the final but they will be eager to return to Europe in the Champions League next season.
80 mins: I have a suspicion, Olympiakos will not be sending any angry tweets about VAR tonight.
Updated
GOAL! Olympiakos 2-0 Aston Villa (El Kaabi, 78) agg: 6-2
IT COUNTS!
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79 mins: VAR CHECK! This is a long VAR check. The Villa bench seem to think it is tight. The fans are enjoying the tension.
78 mins: El Kaabi reaches a pass over the top and smashes it past Martinez but the flag goes up. It looks a little closer than I first thought …
Apostolopoulos is on for Quini.
76 mins: Cash does really well, sprinting down the right and making his way into the box. He thrashes a cross from the byline but Olympiakos throw themselves at the ball and send it behind for a corner.
Someone in red and white has cramp, obviously.
74 mins: Iroegbunam is booked for taking down Chiquinho in the centre circle.
Horta is on for Iborra.
72 mins: Emery is unhappy with some Olympiakos timewasting antics. They are looking to slow this match down to a crawl.
Iborra walks off after suffering a faux injury.
70 mins: Martinez charges a good 30 yards or so out of his goal and clatters into Masouras while leaping into the air. It is arguably a free-kick to Villa but the flag is up for offside regardless.
Updated
68 mins: Quini goes into the book for clattering Watkins. Villa will send the free-kick into the box.
Douglas Luiz is over it but it comes to nothing.
66 mins: Diego Carlos is off for Iroegbunam.
Steve Taylor emails re kits: “Suspect red best, as probably biggest difference from green grass. Helps spot players fast. But solid red may be better than stripes. Not sure. Zebras are striped to confuse leopards at speed.”
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64 mins: I am not convinced Villa need three centre-backs on the pitch at this stage. That’s the sort of opinion you get from the liberal left-wing media.
Iroegbunam is being readied.
62 mins: Cash makes a good run and is found by Bailey’s pass. The full-back gets into the box but his cross is cleared behind by Iborra.
Bailey whips in the corner but Konsa heads over.
It looks like Watkins is through on goal but Carmo recovers to intercept and clear.
60 mins: Olympiakos should complete end the contest as El Kaabi breaks down the left but he overhits his pass to Hezze in the centre and the chance is wasted.
Villa break up the pitch and Duran gets a shot away but a mix of goalkeeper and defender deal with the situation.
58 mins: Duran comes on for Diaby in the end. Watkins out left?
56 mins: Is it time for Villa to bring on Duran and go two up top? Emery is short of options on the bench. They need three goals.
55 mins: Diaby gets the ball on the right flank and looks to lift a cross into the box but his aim is off target and the goalkeeper claims it on his line.
53 mins: Apropos of nothing … I do really like the Olympiakos kit. It is a classic. Looks lovely.
McGinn is tripped by Podence in cynical fashion. The Wolves man is booked.
Updated
51 mins: Bailey dinks a cross towards the penalty spot for Watkins but all he can do it help the ball over the bar.
Fortounis takes aim from 20 yards or so but there is barely any pace on the shot and Martinez drops on the ball.
49 mins: Bailey does win a free-kick for being clattered from behind. McGinn lifts the ball into the box but it evades everyone and goes out for a goal kick.
47 mins: Watkins is unhappy after not a free-kick for a push in the back from Carmo.
Second half
Here we go again!
Alternatively, have some hot Football Daily content.
Some half-time reading.
Half time: Olympiakos 1-0 Aston Villa (agg 5-2)
The visitors have dominated possession but did not test the goalkeeper until a vicious late shot from Bailey was tipped over. Villa’s little lapse in concentration to allow Olympiakos to open the scoring has made it very difficult for them to get back into this tie.
45+2 mins: El Kaabi is rolling around in pain. He seems pretty upset after an incident involving Diego Carlos. Maybe he got his boot caught in the pitch or something.
45 mins: Four minutes added on.
44 mins: Just your 75% possession for Villa thus far. Not bad but it has not resulted in a goal.
42 mins: Watkins does well to win the ball back in the final third. He sends a pass to Diaby who finds Bailey out wide, from where he flashes the ball across goal but a sliding Cash cannot reach it to steer into an empty net.
40 mins: McGinn lifts the free-kick into the box but Diego Carlos flicks a header well wide.
Diaby gets to the byline and pulls the ball back. He thinks he has earned a corner but the referee decides it is a goal-kick, much to Villa’s chagrin.
38 mins: Bailey tries to flick a pass through to Watkins but it has too much on it. The winger is not running with any fluidity after his earlier injury.
Cash is bundled over by Quini on the right flank to give Villa a free-kick in a dangerous position. You would think they need a goal before half time.
36 mins: Villa are doing their best to draw in the press but they are struggling to break through it. In the end, Martinez pings it long for Watkins whose flick-on goes to the goalkeeper.
34 mins: Four Villa players have a very long discussion about who should take the free-kick on the edge of the box. In the end Douglas Luiz chips it over the bar. Not the best effort.
32 mins: Considering the injury problems Villa have, they will not want to lose Bailey for any period of time. The medics have got him to his feet but he is looking pretty unhappy.
30 mins: Watkins controls the ball and plays it to Bailey who is cleaned out on the edge of the box. He somehow gets his pass to Diaby whose shot is blocked by the goalkeeper but the referee brings it back for the free-kick.
Rodinei is booked while Bailey is left to writhe in agony. It is a bad tackle from the Olympiakos man.
Updated
28 mins: Watkins breaks through a couple of tackles and lays the ball off to Digne on the left. His cross finds Bailey in the box but the winger’s header lacks pace and accuracy.
26 mins: Douglas Luiz decides Tzolakis needs testing no matter what and takes aim from around 25 yards but his low drive is held bu the goalkeeper.
24 mins: Digne wins a corner when his cross is turned behind. Olympiakos clear the first cross but Villa back at them, resulting in Watkins and Bailey having shots blocked.
22 mins: Villa are back to having a lot of the ball in the Olympiakos half. A good spell of possession ends with Bailey having the chance to shoot from the edge of the box but he slips at the wrong moment and his shot loops into the goalkeeper’s arms.
20 mins: Bailey gets a little space on the right and whips in a dangerous cross but none of his colleagues can reach it.
18 mins: Olympiakos are looking very organised at the back at the moment and Villa are struggling to pick holes in it. The hosts are quite happy to whack the ball clear whenever necessary.
16 mins: The goal has given Olympiakos even greater confidence. If they manage to get a second, it will be all over for Villa.
14 mins: Emery is wearing a jumper on the touchline. Surely it is too warm for that.
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12 mins: Such a good start for Villa and now they are three goals behind in the tie. Is there any way back?
GOAL! Podence gets down the left and sends a pass along the six-yard line which Pau Torres misses, allowing El Kaabi to tap in the back post and make things even livelier in Greece.
GOAL! Olympiakos 1-0 Aston Villa ( El Kaabi, 10) (agg: 5-2)
The striker scores his fourth of the tie.
Updated
10 mins: Bailey bursts a lung to get beyond the Olympiakos defence. He collects a pass from Cash inside the box but he cannot find enough space to get away a shot or a cross.
8 mins: Villa are keeping the home fans relatively quiet by dominating possession. All they need to do now is turn possession into a goal. Easy … right?
6 mins: A cross is sent in for Watkins to attack. It looks like the England striker will get an effort on goal but Carmo just beats him to the ball. The resulting corner is grabbed by the goalkeeper.
4 mins: Villa play a short corner but Bailey and Diaby’s work comes to nothing. Whenever Villa touch the ball they are booed by the majority inside the ground.
2 mins: Looks like Villa are five at the back. I think Bailey and Diaby will be in for an energy-sapping night trying to support Watkins.
Chiquinho has an early sniff of a goal but drags his shot wide.
Kick off
Peep! Peep! Peep! Here we go!
The players are wandering out and Peter ‘Crouchy’ Crouch says the noise is “deafening”.
If you like flags and scarves, then Olympiakos could be the club for you because there are a shedload around the ground.
Unai Emery: “It is clear Olympiakos are favourites and we have a very difficult task ahead of us.”
The TNT team pitchside are very keen to emphasise how lively it is inside the ground. Aston Villa have attempted to show they will not be intimidated by going to warm up in front of the most vociferous Olympiakos supporters.
While you’re waiting … here is Karen Carney on Emma Hayes.
You can also join Simon Burnton for some hot Europa League action.
The home fans have been inside the ground for a while.
Olympiakos starting lineup
Olympiakos (4-3-3): Tzolakis; Rodinei, Carmo, Restos, Quini; Iborra, Chiquinho, Hezze; Fortounis, El Kaabi, Podence.
Aston Villa starting lineup
Martinez is fit for Villa but the bench is lacking depth.
Aston Villa (4-3-3): Martinez; Konsa, Diego Carlos, Pau Torres, Digne; Cash, McGinn, Douglas Luiz; Diaby, Watkins, Bailey
Subs: Gauci, Olsen, Lenglet, Duran, Iroegbunam, Kesler-Hayden, Patterson, Munroe, Kellyman, Young
Will the goalkeeper be fit to start?
Quiet night at the library.
Just under 2 hours until kick off and the Olympiacos ultras are already going crazy in here… rest of the stadium is near enough empty in comparison! Aston Villa have a huge game ahead, and a raucous atmosphere to contend with. @footballontnt 7pm TNT Sports 1. #UECL pic.twitter.com/zxcoEPDBqA
— Jules Breach (@julesbreach) May 9, 2024
Preamble
Can Aston Villa turn this around? Absolutely. They are the better team on paper and have the quality in their ranks to win 2-0 away to Olympiakos.
Unfortunately, theory and reality are two very different things because it is going to be rocking in Piraeus. The fans will be vociferous in their support in order to get Olympiakos over the line after their fantastic first leg performance. Olympiakos have never made it to a European final and it would be a monumental achievement for Greek football.
In Unai Emery Aston Villa have a manager who knows how to get through these difficult situations in Europe. He will have made it clear that last week’s efforts were unacceptable and they need to right some wrongs. It feels like one of those nights where an early goals is key to silence the home crowd and put some doubt back in their minds.
Here’s to a cracker.
Kick-off: 8pm BST
