Unai Emery, a four-time Europa League winner, will not get his hands on the Europa Conference League trophy this season and Villa's hopes of a first major European trophy since lifting the European Cup in 1982 are over.
There were a few episodes symptomatic of a painful night for Villa, who never truly looked like overturning the two-goal deficit from a damaging first-leg defeat. Their so-often fruitful high line came unstuck when a VAR review deemed Ayoub El Kaabi onside as Olympiakos doubled their lead on the night in the 78th minute, rattling in from close range.
Lucas Digne lifted a cross straight down the throat of the Olympiakos goalkeeper Kostas Tzolakis at 1-0 down. Earlier in the second half Emiliano Martínez and Douglas Luiz both sent simple passes straight out of play.
Emery had raised the potential scenario of Villa conceding when discussing the psychology around the tie, stressing they would need to keep their counsel and retain confidence in the gameplan, but knew doing so made a tough task at the outset considerably harder.
It is fair to say Villa will be delighted to see the back of El Kaabi, who built on his hat-trick at Villa Park by opening the scoring after 10 minutes here. Daniel Podence hovered on the ball, waiting before rolling a pass into the overlapping left-back Quini, who sent a low cross into the box.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May 10, 2024 من The Guardian.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
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هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May 10, 2024 من The Guardian.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
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