Aston Villa have some work to do in Greece next week should they wish to reach the UEFA Europa Conference League final, as they were defeated 4-2 by Olympiacos on Thursday night.
Villa Park's first European semi-final in 42 years brought with it a mixed bag of emotions. There was plenty to be confident about, though after Leon Bailey saw an early goal disallowed the visitors proved exactly why some nerves were in the air as Ayoub El Kaabi struck twice.
Ollie Watkins and Moussa Diaby would hit back either side of half-time to draw level, though a nightmare second period for Douglas Luiz would ensue and the first leg fell away from Villa. The Brazilian gave away a penalty for El Kaabi to grab his hat-trick, then a deflected fourth goal made it 4-2. Handed a late spot-kick themselves, the Greeks' distraction tactics put Luiz off, and he spurned the opportunity to bring the tie back within one goal by hitting the outside of the woodwork.
READ MORE: What John McGinn told the crowd after leaving Villa Park as Unai Emery explains Douglas Luiz anger
READ MORE: Aston Villa v Olympiacos: 85 pictures of the fans and the football
Here is how the UK's national media reported on the game...
The Guardian
By Ben Fisher
The Villa captain, John McGinn, made no attempt to dress it up. “Everything that could have gone wrong did,” he said.
Perhaps Villa will take heart from the way the Greek side surrendered a three-goal lead against Fenerbahce in the quarter-finals, before prevailing on penalties, or the manner in which they crashed 4-1 at home to Maccabi Tel Aviv in the last 16, before winning 6-1 in the return leg. “We need to play a lot better than we did tonight but we’re more than capable of doing it,” McGinn said.
On a dispiriting night, the only real positive for Unai Emery occurred 125 miles away, with Tottenham’s defeat at Chelsea meaning Villa can seal a Champions League berth as early as Sunday. If Tottenham lose at Liverpool and Villa win at Brighton, Villa will play in Europe’s premier competition for the first time since 1983.
For now, though, the focus is on overturning this defeat to lift silverware this season. As the last English team standing in a European competition, Villa were flying the flag on behalf of the Premier League.
The Telegraph
By John Percy
Unai Emery has often referenced his squad’s lack of experience at this level and at times it showed here as Olympiacos put themselves in the driving seat for Thursday’s second leg in Piraeus.
Villa expect to have influential goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez back from injury for the return leg and his absence here felt significant. Robin Olsen is an adequate replacement for Martinez - who was suspended for this match in any case - but it was tempting to wonder what difference the Argentine World Cup winner would have made.
Rafa Benitez was also sitting in the stand and Villa will need a performance reminiscent of Liverpool’s heroics in Istanbul 19 years ago to turn this tie around.
Sky Sports
By Adam Bate
Unai Emery's side had started the game as favourites to win their first European trophy since 1982 but El Kaabi proved too good as the Greek side raced into a two-goal lead and though Ollie Watkins and Moussa Diaby dragged Villa level, the striker was not done.
He scored his third from the penalty spot after Douglas Luiz was adjudged to have handballed inside the box before Santiago Hezze's shot made it four when it deflected off the back of Ezri Konsa and Robin Olsen was unable to keep the ball out.
Tottenham's Premier League defeat to Chelsea means Champions League football is likely to come to Villa Park next season. But these supporters were dreaming of a trophy later this month. There is a lot of work to do in Greece if that dream is to become a reality.
Daily Mail
By Ryan Walker
Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz was mocked for taking 'one of the worst penalties you will ever see' in Thursday's Europa Conference League semi-final defeat against Olympiacos.
The Greek visitors - owned by Nottingham Forest chief Evangelos Marinakis - stunned Unai Emery's Villa side as visiting striker Ayoub El Kaabi's hat-trick earned his side a deserved 4-2 victory.
Villa have it all to do in the second leg next week as they attempt to navigate their way to a historic major European final and Luiz will be aiming to produce a much improved performance in Athens.
The Sun
By Graeme Bryce
Aston Villa were skewered by Moroccan hitman Ayoub El Kaabi who helped himself to a hat-trick to leave Villa's Conference League final hopes hanging by a thread. In front of watching Villa fan Prince William, Olympiacos's star striker stunned Villa with two rapid first-half strikes.
Ollie Watkins and Moussa Diaby gave Villa hope with goals either side of half-time to pull the home side level. But El Kaabi fired the Greeks back in front from the penalty spot before Santiago Hezze restored their two goal lead to leave Villa requiring a miraculous comeback in the return leg.
The Independent
By Richard Jolly
The problem with assuming a Europa League winner with Sevilla is bound to conquer the continent is that there is more than one of them. Unai Emery can seem the king of Europe, but a defending champion has one foot in the Europa Conference League final. Rather than Emery’s fifth European trophy, it could be Jose Luis Mendilibar’s second in as many years after, courtesy of Ayoub El Kaabi’s hat-trick, Olympiacos stormed Villa Park.
Aston Villa may retain hope of two trips to Athens this month, for the final as well as the semi-final second leg, but they came Acropolis in Birmingham.
