Aston Villa will be involved in their major European semi-final for over 40 years when they host Olympiakos tonight, live on talkSPORT.
Unai Emery’s side are just three games away from claiming only the club’s second-ever European trophy following their 1982 triumph.
41 years on from their 1-0 win over Bayern Munich, Villa have become a team to be reckoned with in Europe once again.
They have won all five home games in the Europa Conference League this season and are just one away from a club record.
The West Midland outfit sit fourth in the Premier League and are favourites to qualify for next season’s Champions League, but remain desperate to win their first major trophy since 1996.
This will be the first competitive meeting between Villa and Olympiakos, who are also fourth in their domestic league.
Aston Villa vs Olympiakos: Super John McGinn
Ollie Watkins has been the home side’s standout player in the Premier League this term with 19 goals – the joint-most by a Villa player in a single top-flight campaign.
However, in Europe, Villa captain John McGinn has been the club’s standout star.
The Scot has been involved in six goals in the UEFA Europa Conference League this season, the most of any Aston Villa player in the competition this term.
McGinn has scored three goals, and registered another three assists on route to the semi-finals.
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Indeed, he had a hand in two of Villa’s three goals in a two-legged quarter-final tie against Lille last month.
- This will be the first meeting between Aston Villa and Olympiakos in European competition, as well as the first ever competitive game for Aston Villa against any Greek opponent.
- Olympiakos will face an English opponent for the 10th time in a knockout stage of a major European competition, having progressed just once in the previous nine occasions (v Arsenal in the 2019-20 Europa League last 32).
- This is Aston Villa’s second major European semi-final after the 1981-82 European Cup, when the Villans won their only major European trophy.
Aston Villa vs Olympiakos: Team news
Aston Villa XI: Olsen; Cash, Konsa, Lenglet, Digne; Bailey, McGinn, Douglas Luiz, Rogers; Diaby, Watkins.
Subs: Gauci, Wright, Diego Carlos, Torres, Zaniolo, Duran, Iroegbunam, Kesler-Hayden, Munroe, Kellyman, Young
Olympiakos XI: Tzolakis, Ortega, Chiquinho, Fortounis, Iborra, El Kaabi, David Carmo, Rodinei, Hezze, Restos, Podence.
Subs: Paschalakis, Papdoudis, Andre Horta, El-Arabi, Alexandropoulos, Quini, Joao Carvalho, Jovetic, Richards, Prekates.
- Olympiakos have reached the semi-finals of a major European competition for the first time in the club’s history. They could become only the second Greek side to reach the final of any major European tournament, after Panathinaikos in the 1970-71 European Cup (lost to Ajax).
- Aston Villa have won all five home games in the UEFA Europa Conference League this season; should they win today against Olympiakos, Aston Villa will set a new record for consecutive home wins in major European competition (6).
- Aston Villa have scored in each of their last 19 home games in major European competition since a 0-1 defeat against Deportivo de La Coruña in the 1993-94 UEFA Cup last 32. The last English side to have a longer such run was Manchester City in 2016-2021 (27).
Aston Villa vs Olympiakos: What has been said?
Villa boss Emery: “We are very excited for the Conference League and very motivated with the Premier League.
“It’s not changing my first message when we started the season – the most important thing is the Premier League, then we can add the FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Conference League.
“If we get to the end of the season being a contender, of course the importance is changing a little bit.
“The first priority is the Premier League but we’re trying to do the best in both.
“We are playing now a semi-final in Europe. We have to enjoy it. We have to be motivated with our supporters.
“Our objective is to beat them. Then we play Brighton on Sunday and it is amazing because we are on this run to get fourth place.”
- Excluding qualifiers, Olympiakos have scored 23 goals in 12 games in the Europa League and Conference League combined this season (1.9 per game on average), at least five goals more than they ever scored in a single European campaign (18 goals in the 2008-09 UEFA Cup).
- Olympiacos’ Konstantinos Fortounis has provided eight assists in the Europa League and Conference League this season, the most of any player in major European competition this term. Indeed, the last player to provide this many assists in a single European season was James Milner for Liverpool in the 2017-18 UEFA Champions League (8).
- Ayoub El Kaabi has scored eight goals in major European competition for Olympiakos this season, the most in a season by an Olympiakos player in their European history.
Aston Villa vs Olympiakos: talkSPORT coverage
This Europa Conference League semi-final first-leg will take place on Thursday, May 2.
Kick-off at Villa Park is scheduled for 8pm.
talkSPORT 2 will have live coverage from the west Midlands.
Commentary comes from Jim Proudfoot and former Aston Villa midfielder Ray Houghton.
To tune in to talkSPORT through the website, click HERE for the live stream.
You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.
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News Summary:
- Aston Villa vs Olympiakos LIVE commentary: Emi Martinez suspended as Unai Emery’s side face Europa Conference League semi-final – Kick-off time, team news and how to follow
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