Aston Villa journey in the Europa Conference League came to an end at the semi-final stage as Olympiakos secured a spot in the final against Fiorentina. Despite a 4-2 loss in the first leg, Villa suffered a 2-0 defeat in Greece, resulting in a 6-2 aggregate loss. Ayoub El Kaabi who scored a hat-trick in the first leg, opened the scoring for Olympiakos by tapping in Marin Ruiz cross in the 10th minute.
Despite dominating possession, Unai Emery team struggled in the final third. El Kaabi scored his second goal benefitting from a tight offside call. Villa aiming for their first European final since 1982, fell short. Olympiakos will play in their maiden European final, marking the absence of an English club in the final for the first time in four seasons.
Villa quest for a trophy continues with their last major title dating back to the 1996 League Cup and their last European triumph 42 years ago. Despite winning 47 Greek league titles, Olympiakos had never progressed beyond the quarter-finals in UEFA competitions before this season.
Managed by Jose Luis Mendilibar since February, Olympiakos overcame significant odds including a remarkable comeback against Maccabi Tel Aviv and a shootout victory against Fenerbahce. The Greek side’s journey to the final is historic defying expectations and marking a significant moment for Greek football.
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