Aston Villa’s hopes of a triumphant return to European glory took a severe blow as they faced a chaotic 4-2 defeat against Olympiakos in the first leg of the Europa Conference League semifinal. Captain John McGinn summed up the tumultuous match by stating, “Everything that could have gone wrong, did.”
The Greek side, led by Ayoub El Kaabi’s stunning hat-trick, stunned Villa with two early goals. Despite Ollie Watkins and Moussa Diaby’s efforts to level the score, Olympiakos surged ahead with a penalty from El Kaabi and a deflected strike by Santiago Hezze.
Reflecting on the disheartening loss, McGinn admitted to errors across the board, acknowledging the monumental task ahead for Villa to overturn a two-goal deficit in the second leg. Despite the daunting challenge, McGinn affirmed the team’s belief in their capabilities and praised the manager’s unwavering positivity amidst adversity.
El Kaabi’s clinical finish, initially disallowed for offside but overturned by VAR, set the tone for Olympiakos’ dominant display. His second goal, crafted from a clever pass by Daniel Podence, further compounded Villa’s woes.
Villa managed to claw back into contention with goals from Watkins and Diaby, but Olympiakos swiftly regained control, capitalizing on defensive lapses to extend their lead.
The absence of key players, including suspended goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and defender Pau Torres, hampered Villa’s ability to assert dominance. Manager Unai Emery emphasized the need for consistency and improvement ahead of the decisive second leg in Piraeus.
Meanwhile, in the other semifinal clash, Fiorentina secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Club Bruges, with M’Bala Nzola sealing the win with a late goal. Despite an early lead from Riccardo Sottil, Fiorentina faced a resilient Bruges side, ultimately prevailing in added time.