The team's ardent supporters overflowed onto the streets, exuding uncontainable joy and revelry. Following their remarkable 2-4 triumph in Birmingham, Olympiacos continued their dominance, emerging triumphant with a resounding 2-0 victory over Aston Villa at the esteemed "G. Karaiskakis" stadium. This historic achievement will forever etch Olympiacos' name in the annals of footballing history.
José Luis Mendilibar becomes the first manager to take Olympiacos to a European final, which will be played in Athens. He has now beaten Erik ten Hag, Massimiliano Allegri, José Mourinho and Unai Emery in European knockout football since last April.
The atmosphere at the stadium was electric, with fans buzzing more than two hours before kick-off, hailing it as Olympiacos' most significant match in history. Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, also overseeing Olympiacos, was spotted conversing on the touchline in the lead-up to the game.
As kick-off drew nearer, the volume intensified, with Villa receiving a fierce reception as they took to the field for warm-up. With several key players absent and only Clement Lenglet on the bench above 21, the pressure was immense on Emery's starting lineup. However, Olympiacos capitalized on their chances, with El Kaabi finishing a precise cross from Quini after Daniel Podence's initial attempt was blocked.
Villa attempted to regroup, with Carlos urging his players on. Despite midfield dominance from Douglas Luiz and John McGinn, Villa struggled to capitalize on their possession, often faltering in attack due to reluctance to shoot from distance.
Panagiotis Retsos made a crucial interception to deny Lucas Digne's cross, while Chiquinho blocked Ollie Watkins' attempt. However, Olympiacos squandered opportunities to disrupt Villa's rhythm by rushing their passes.
Villa's woes continued when Leon Bailey was fouled just outside the box by Rodinei, leaving Emery frustrated on the sidelines, despite a promising chance for Kostas Fortounis, Villa's defence held firm, with Martinez making a crucial save.
In a rare break, Podence found Fortounis, but Martinez denied him again. Watkins capitalized on a defensive error, setting up Diaby, whose cross narrowly evaded Matty Cash's sliding attempt.
Olympiacos will face Fiorentina in this city later this month and Aston Villa must now turn their attention to securing a spot in next season’s Champions League. That would be richly deserved reward for an outstanding campaign, in which Unai Emery’s men have dealt superbly with injuries to key players.