The chances of Aston Villa advancing to the final of the Europa Conference League appears bleak, after suffering a 4-2 defeat in the first leg of their semi-final clash with Olympiakos. This setback marks a disappointing blow to the Villans’ aspirations of playing their first European final since their memorable European Cup victory in 1982.
The humiliating loss, which unfolded on Villa’s own turf, saw Ayoub El Kaabi netting a triumphant hat-trick for the triumphant Greek team owned by Nottingham Forest proprietor, Evangelos Marinakis. Santiago Hezze’s effort, which bounced off a defender, further cemented their victory.
Despite Ollie Watkins and Moussa Diaby levelling the score at 2-2 with goals straddling the half-time break, Villa collapsed. Within 11 minutes they conceded two more goals. Their hopes were further dashed when Douglas Luiz failed to convert a penalty in the final ten minutes. Now, a fifth European title for coach Unai Emery seems unlikely.
The task Villa faces ahead of the second leg to be held in Athens next week is daunting, given their disappointing performance in away European ties this season, winning just two out of six. Moreover, Olympiakos’ home ground is infamous for being challenging for visiting teams.