THE NOTEBOOK: Unai Emery misses suspended Emi Martinez, Nottingham Forest and Olympiacos supremo Evangelos Marinakis kicks every ball… and rival bosses have history
Ayoub El Kaabi netted a hat-trick as Olympiacos stunned Aston Villa with a 4-2 away win in their Europa Conference League semi-final first leg on Thursday to give themselves a strong chance of becoming only the second Greek side to compete in a European club competition final.
Olympiacos went 2-0 up inside the opening half hour and although Villa pulled level through Ollie Watkins and Moussa Diaby.
The Greek side scored two more goals in the second half to secure a handy advantage ahead of next Thursday’s return leg.
Mbala Nzola netted a stoppage time winner for Fiorentina to beat Belgium’s Club Brugge 3-2 in the other semi-final, first leg clash.
Mail Sport’s Lewis Steele picks out some of the things you may have missed.
Aston Villa goalkeepeer Robin Olsen can’t hide his disappointment after losing to Olympiacos
Emery misses Martinez
Considering he has won league titles in Denmark and his native Sweden, plus played in the cauldron of the Stadio Olimpico for Roma, it might be a stretch to say this was the biggest night of Robin Olsen’s career – but it certainly felt like a defining moment.
The 34-year-old had sizeable shoes – or gloves – to fill with Emi Martinez suspended.
He started well, and Villa fans even remixed their song about World Cup winner Martinez being the world’s No 1 to how Olsen is the world’s No 2.
But was he commanding enough?
Marinakis kicks every ball
Familiar faces in the posh seats.
Standing up and kicking every ball was Nottingham Forest supremo Evangelos Marinakis, the Greek who also owns Olympiacos.
Nottingham Forest supremo Evangelos Marinakis (above) also owns Greek side Olympiacos
Not sure if VAR Paolo Valeri is a big Luton supporter or not. A few seats along: Prince William. Wonder what they talked about.
Villa still have a chance
Peeping out behind a fabulous tifo in the Holte End was a long-standing banner with the words of Ron Saunders from Villa’s 1981 title triumph: ‘Do you want to bet against us?’
It feels like a perfect phrase to sum up this current Villa side.
Even at 2-0 down, would you bet against them?
Rival bosses have history
Rival managers Unai Emery and Jose Luis Mendilibar (L) on the touchline at Villa Park
This was a clash of two Basque managers – which seems to be the fashion in European football at the moment.
Unai Emery and Jose Luis Mendilibar are both vastly experienced and, 17 years ago, were competing for promotion to La Liga.
Mendilibar, at his 16th club, pipped Emery’s Almeria to the 2006-07 Spanish second tier title with his Valladolid side.
The 62-year-old was born just an hour’s drive from Emery’s birthplace and the pair have won five European titles between them, four at Sevilla.
