Aston Villa’s hopes of reaching their first continental final since their historic European Cup win in 1982 were shattered after a resounding 6-2 aggregate defeat to Olympiacos in the Europa Conference League semi-finals.
The Greek giants, led by Unai Emery, etched their name in history as the first Greek team to reach a major European final in 53 years, a feat reminiscent of Panathinaikos’ European Cup runner-up finish to Ajax in 1971.
The pivotal clash unfolded across two legs, with Olympiacos stunning Villa with a surprise 4-2 victory in the first leg at Birmingham’s Villa Park. Despite a spirited fightback with goals from Ollie Watkins and Moussa Diaby to level the score, Olympiacos capitalized on defensive lapses to secure a commanding lead before the first leg concluded.
The second leg at the formidable Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus witnessed an early blow for Villa as Olympiacos extended their aggregate lead through Ayoub El Kaabi. Despite Villa’s relentless pressure, the Moroccan striker struck again late in the game, sealing Olympiacos’ path to the final.
Meanwhile, Fiorentina secured their spot in the final by overcoming Club Brugge in a hard-fought contest. With a slender aggregate lead from the first leg, Fiorentina held their nerve, with an 85th-minute penalty from Lucas Beltran securing a crucial away goal to avoid extra time.
For Fiorentina, this marks their second consecutive appearance in the Europa Conference League final, having fallen short to West Ham United the previous year. Despite a history of final defeats, including losses in the European Cup and UEFA Cup, Fiorentina remains determined to clinch silverware once more, having lifted the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1961.
With the final set to take place at the Agia Sophia Stadium in Athens, Olympiacos enjoys the advantage of playing on home soil, while both finalists are fueled by the prospect of securing a Europa League group stage berth for the following season. As the countdown to the final begins, anticipation builds for a thrilling showdown between Olympiacos and Fiorentina, where dreams will be realized and legacies forged.