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Here’s how they’re looking …
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Your semi-final Aston Villa team! 👊 pic.twitter.com/fTb5Zk6pc2
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) May 2, 2024
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Η ενδεκάδα της ομάδας μας για το ματς κόντρα στην Άστον Βίλα! / Our line-up for today’s match against Aston Villa! 🔴⚪️#Olympiacos #ASTOLY #UECL pic.twitter.com/flk5zoSqyE
— Olympiacos FC (@olympiacosfc) May 2, 2024
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Aston Villa: Olsen, Cash, Konsa, Lenglet, Digne, McGinn, Douglas Luiz, Bailey, Diaby, Rogers, Watkins
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Subs: Diego Carlos, Torres, Gauci, Zaniolo, Duran, Kesler-Hayden, Iroegbunam, Wright, Munroe, Kellyman, Young
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Olympiakos: Tzolakis, Rodinei, Retsos, Carmo, Ortega, Hezze, Iborra, Chiquinho, Podence, El Kaabi, Fortounis
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Subs: Paschalakis, Horta, El-Arabi, Alexandropoulos, Quini, Carvalho, Jovetic, Richards, Papadoudis, Prekates
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Referee: Marco Guida (Italy)
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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.
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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.
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Key events
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 …
Your semi-final Aston Villa team! 👊 pic.twitter.com/fTb5Zk6pc2
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) May 2, 2024
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Η ενδεκάδα της ομάδας μας για το ματς κόντρα στην Άστον Βίλα! / Our line-up for today’s match against Aston Villa! 🔴⚪️#Olympiacos #ASTOLY #UECL pic.twitter.com/flk5zoSqyE
— Olympiacos FC (@olympiacosfc) May 2, 2024
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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.