Two more league wins will bring Champions League football to these parts next season but unless Aston Villa can improve their European performances quickly, their journey in that competition will be brief and bitter.
2023/2024 UEFA Europa Conference League
2-4
Match Report
Villa’s hopes of a first major continental trophy since 1982 were left hanging by a thread as Ayoub El Kaabi scored a hat-trick to help Olympiacos to a chaotic victory. Not even the presence of the Prince of Wales in the directors’ box could inspire his team to victory, nor the furious rollicking Unai Emery gave his players midway through the first half.
El Kaabi’s double put Olympiacos in control and though Ollie Watkins and Moussa Diaby scored either side of half-time to bring Villa level, El Kaabi sealed a hat-trick from the spot and Santiago Hezze’s deflected effort made it four.
Douglas Luiz then missed a penalty leaving Villa with a huge task to overturn this in Athens next week and reach the Europa Conference League Final.
Villa were sloppy everywhere and their display showed once more how hard they find the going when Emi Martinez is absent. The Argentine is not only the world’s best goalkeeper but also the leader of this team, and Robin Olsen simply cannot match him for either quality.
As impressive as Emery’s men have been domestically, they have ridden their luck in Europe and will need to produce a display for the ages in Greece.
The stage was set for Villa to take another step towards history. A spectacular display in the Holte End showed the words ‘Up The Villa!’ in claret and blue. Even the racket from the away end was drowned out as the home fans settled in to see their side take another step towards European glory.
Warning signs were there as early as the second minute when Robin Olsen – in for the suspended Emi Martinez – made a good save from Vicente Iborra’s header. Though the Spaniard was flagged offside, the decision would probably have been overturned had he scored.
Villa surged forward and Morgan Rogers shot early from the edge of the box, bringing a sharp save from Kostas Tzolakis. Then Leon Bailey had the ball in the net from Ezri Konsa’s deflected cross only for the goal to be ruled out for a foul by Watkins on Francisco Ortega.
Unai Emery was irritated by that and the home fans more so. Soon they were on referee Marco Guida’s back after every contentious incident, and their mood darkened when Olympiacos took the lead.
El Kaabi was initially judged offside when he whipped Chiquinho’s flick beyond Robin Olsen yet after a short VAR delay, the goal was given, with Matty Cash appearing to play the forward onside. And before the half-hour mark, it grew worse for Villa.
Clement Lenglet – surprisingly preferred to Pau Torres – played a loose pass from defence and when the ball was worked to Daniel Podence, the former Wolves man’s chip sent El Kaabi racing through to beat Olsen and claim his second.
Moments later, during a break in play, Emery lost his rag. The Basque stormed on to the pitch, screaming at Douglas Luiz, firing a volley at Olsen and letting his players know exactly why he had made of their display until then.
Villa tried to respond yet after a swift break, Kostas Fortounis was not too far from scoring Olympiacos’ third from the edge of the box.
Bailey had spent more time on the floor than on his feet and he was frustrated to be denied a spot-kick for a collision with Ortega.
The mood finally lifted inside Villa Park as Matty Cash found Moussa Diaby, and Watkins ran through the misshapen defensive line to produce an excellent finish across Tzolakis into the far corner. As the home fans roared with relief, Emery motioned for calm.
The start of the second half was delayed by a medical emergency in the Holte End, with supporters asked to vacate one part of the stand to allow treatment.
When the match resumed, Villa were at full pelt. Olympiacos could not escape their own territory and it was no surprise when the equaliser arrived. Bailey and Diaby were swapping positions regularly now and when Bailey found the Frenchman, he squeezed the ball through a gap at Tzolakis’ near post.
That should have given Villa the momentum they needed but back game Olympiacos. The Greek side were awarded a penalty when Iborra’s header struck the arm of Luiz and El Kaabi sent Olsen the wrong way to claim his hat-trick.
Unedifying scenes followed as plastic bottles were launched from the Olympiacos section towards the Villa fans seated in the North Stand.
The home side tried to respond again and Morgan Rogers fired into the side netting from a similar position to the one that brought his Diaby his goal.
And just when Villa needed fortune to smile on them, she looked the other way. Hezze collected the ball 25 yards out and Olsen had his shot covered until it clipped Konsa’s shoulder and flew beyond the helpless Swede.
Villa were given another lifeline with 10 minutes to go when substitute Jhon Duran was brought down – but their night became still worse. Luiz took an age to hit the penalty and his effort grazed the post and went wide.
Line-ups
Aston Villa XI: R. Olsen, Digne, Lenglet, McGinn, Ollie Watkins, Bailey, Ngoyo, Matty Cash, Douglas Luiz, Diaby, Morgan Rogers
Subs: Carlos, P. Torres, Zaniolo, Joe Gauci, Jhon Durán, Kaine Kesler-Hayden, Tim Iroegbunam, James Wright, Kadan Young, Omari Kellyman, Finley Munroe
Olympiakos XI: Iborra, Fortounis, Rodinei, Podence, Chiquinho, Retsos, Francisco Ortega, A. El Kaabi, David Carmo, Tzolakis, Santiago Hezze
Subs: Jovetic, Alexandros Paschalakis, El-Arabi, Quini, João Carvalho, André Horta, Omar Richards, Sotiris Alexandropoulos, Athanasios Papadoudis, V. Prekates