Key events
21 min: Olsen just about brushes away a corner that flies deep. Fortounis tries to work it back into a dangerous area, but his long diagonal ball goes out.
20 min: Podence is causing problems, sliding in Ortega to cross from the left. It’s blocked for a corner.
GOAL! Aston Villa 0-1 Olympiakos (El Kaabi 16)
Another disallowed goal! This time it’s Olympiakos who suffer, with a neat Chiquinho flick finding El Kaabi, who slots confidently past Olsen with his left foot inside the box and turns away in celebration … before it’s cut short by the flag going up. Oh wait a second. There’s a VAR check and it’s given! The line’s drawn and he’s declared onside. Villa are left stunned.
15 min: Watkins is clutching on to his right arm, in quite a bit of pain. That’s just after a Douglas Luiz hit from range that has an awkward bounce – but it’s dealt with by the keeper.
14 min: Villa almost get a bit too cute, with Bailey cutting in from the right and passing before the ball works its way to Digne as Olympiakos retreat and manage.
9 min: Disallowed goal! Luiz goes short with the corner and gets it back to dink a ball to the far post where Konsa gets on the end of it, working it across goal before Bailey heads in from close range … but the celebrations are quickly cut short. Apparently there was a foul in the buildup, Lenglet on Iborra.
8 min: Villa have settled in, working it around midfield before Digne tries to slide in a cross from the left. The ball is diverted out for a corner …
6 min: Cash advances up the field before the ball works it way to Rogers, who delivers a fine curling effort from the edge of the box … Tzolakis gets down to his left and pushes out for a corner. A terrific effort. Villa can’t capitalise from the corner.
4 min: A bright opening for Olympiakos, who look lively and keen to spoil the party. Podence is operating on the left and has enjoyed himself in the early moments.
2 min: The Villa supporters break into song before Podence delivers a sublime ball into the box with the outside of his right foot, and Iborra gets a head on it at the far post, with Olsen tipping it over the bar. The flag goes up … but I reckon he might well have still been on.
1 min: Olympiakos knock it around at the back before Podence overhits an ambitious ball into the Villa box.
Peep!
Villa are in their usual claret and blue; Olympiakos rock a peculiar grey, orange number. The visitors kick off.
“Good luck to Villa tonight,” writes Ian Sargeant, a gracious West Ham supporter. “Keep the ribbons on the trophy. Best non family night of my life in prague last year.”
Just 10 minutes away now. Feel free to drop me a line with your thoughts, queries, film recs, life advice, whatever you fancy.
I’ve crunched the numbers and I believe Villa have five changes to the starting XI from their quarter-final second leg against Lille, including Robin Olsen replacing the suspended Martínez in goal. Olympiacos have two changes from their last-eight clash with Fenerbahce, with former Manchester City man Stefan Jovetic beginning on the bench. Another Olympiakos name familiar to Our League is Daniel Podence, on loan from Wolves, who starts.
Just in case you don’t want my company (your loss, but I won’t take any – *he sobs* – offence).
The teams
Here’s how they’re looking …
Aston Villa: Olsen, Cash, Konsa, Lenglet, Digne, McGinn, Douglas Luiz, Bailey, Diaby, Rogers, Watkins
Subs: Diego Carlos, Torres, Gauci, Zaniolo, Duran, Kesler-Hayden, Iroegbunam, Wright, Munroe, Kellyman, Young
Olympiakos: Tzolakis, Rodinei, Retsos, Carmo, Ortega, Hezze, Iborra, Chiquinho, Podence, El Kaabi, Fortounis
Subs: Paschalakis, Horta, El-Arabi, Alexandropoulos, Quini, Carvalho, Jovetic, Richards, Papadoudis, Prekates
Referee: Marco Guida (Italy)
Here’s Ben Fisher on the wonderful time Villa are having.
Preamble
Good evening and welcome to coverage of Olympiakos’ trip over to Villa Park for the first leg of this Europa Conference League semi-final tie. Unai Emery’s priority is the Premier League but as a serial Europa League winner he knows how good continental success tastes; this really is a massive night in Aston Villa’s modern history, a chance to replicate the scenes taken in by West Ham last year. They’ll have to get through it without a major figure, though, with Emi Martínez, their chief mischief-maker, missing through suspension. Nervy, even just a little? They must be.
The Greek side had their own penalty joy in the quarter-finals, beating Fenerbahce 3-2 in the shootout after Konstantinos Tzolakis, just 21 years of age, made three saves. Their season began in the Europa League and included a victory over West Ham, but they exited at the group stage before defeating Ferencváros, Maccabi Tel Aviv and the relatively star-studded Turkish outfit to get to this point. Villa have won all of their home games in this European run; a difficult night lies ahead for their opponents. Kick-off’s at 8pm BST.