Villa were handed a harsh lesson by Olympiakos – one that could prove handy should they make the Champions League
fell flat on their biggest European night for decades and will now have to reach the Europa Conference League final the hard way after losing their home first leg to Olympiakos, who were inspired by Ayoub El Kaabi’s hat-trick on an evening of fine margins and tight calls.
Villa’s prospects of a first major trophy since 1996 have diminished, but their hopes of finishing fourth in the Premier League have been boosted. Silver linings, and all that, although this was ultimately a night of what-ifs on a stage that should be welcoming sterner opposition next season.“We have a mountain to climb but we know we’re capable. The manager was still positive in there. There’s still a long way to go.
Closer to 8pm that special blend of hope and expectation lifted with the noise levels, and that was the case among the travelling Olympiakos fans, too, who were watching their side play a first-ever European semi-final – the closest they had previously come being a quarter-final in the 1999 Champions League.
Again Villa lost the ball, and again it was El Kaabi, who latched onto Podence’s ball over the top by superbly heading it to Olsen’s right before sliding it under the stand-in goalkeeper.
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