Olympiacos can smell the final after an impressive win in Brimingham

Aston Villa is dangling on the brink of elimination in the UEFA Conference League. The British, still too strong for Ajax in the eighth finals, lost to Olympiakos at home on Thursday evening: 2-4. Ayoub El Kaabi was the celebrated man among the Greeks. He scored three of the four goals.

The first meeting between Aston Villa and Olympiacos in the semi-finals of the UEFA Conference League was undoubtedly followed closely by Ajax supporters. After all, the team from Birmingham can help the Amsterdam team with direct qualification for the Europa League (see Instagram post below). However, Aston Villa will have to work hard next week to get a starting ticket for the final battle. Coach Unai Emery’s formation is well on its way to qualifying directly for the main tournament of the Champions League in the Premier League, but had its hands full against Olympiacos on Thursday.

What is called: the visitors from Greece opened the score after sixteen minutes. The goal by Ayoub El Kaabi – who convincingly shot the ball into the net – was initially disallowed for offside, but after VAR intervention, the referee still pointed to the center spot. El Kaabi turned out to be a real plague for Aston Villa’s defense. The Moroccan striker doubled the score less than fifteen minutes later: 0-2. Major problems for the home team, who were entitled to a penalty in the final phase of the first half but did not get one. However, Aston Villa was not deterred and came back to 1-2 before the half-time signal. Who else but Ollie Watkings scored the tying goal.

Watkins’ goal gave Aston Villa new energy. In the second half it was quickly scored for a second time. Moussa Diaby scored the equalizer and a complete comeback was in the air. But Olympiacos is still in the race for the title in their own country and recently defeated Fenerbahçe. The Greeks are a tough team and they proved that at Villa Park. Four minutes after the equalizer, it was El Kaabi who struck again, this time from eleven meters after a handball. Olympiacos took the lead for the second time and did everything they could to keep it. It worked. What is called: the Greeks who traveled with us were even allowed to cheer for a fourth time in the away section after a bet from Santiago Hezze ended up against the net via an opponent: 2-4. Aston Villa had the chance to reduce the margin to one from eleven meters, but Douglas Luiz’s attempt went wide via the post.

Fiorentina – Club Brugge (2-2)

The other first leg in the semi-finals of the Conference League also presented a spectacle. Fiorentina opened the score against Club Brugge after just five minutes: Riccardo Sottil gave the home team, who reached the final last year but lost to West Ham United, a wonderful lead. However, Club Brugge is in top form and also proved to be able to play excellent football in Florence. That resulted in a quick equalizer. Igor Thiago initially saw a good chance saved, but in the after-kick the ball landed on a Fiorentina arm and after VAR intervention the referee pointed to the spot: Hans Vanaken did not fail and brought the score back into balance.

Andrea Belotti restored the Italian lead just under ten minutes before half-time, but the visitors fought back again in the second half. This time Thiago did strike. Two minutes earlier, Raphael Onyedika from Club Brugge had to be sent off with two yellow cards and therefore red. Fiorentina continued to push in the final phase, but a winning match did not seem to be possible. Until M’Bala Nzola managed to find a hole in the Bruges defense in injury time. Nzola first hit the post, but scored calmly in the second chance: 3-2.