Aston Villa vs Olympiacos LIVE: Europa Conference League team news and line-ups ahead of semi-final tonight

Aston Villa take on Olympiacos in the first leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final on Thursday night, a return to the last four of a major European competition for the first time in over four decades for the Midlands club. That comes at the peak of a season of massive progress, with Unai Emery’s team also fighting for a top-four finish in the Premier League and a place in next term’s Champions League.

Ollie Watkins has been in form all season and has impressed both domestically and on the continental stage, and Villa should have real confidence of going the distance.

Opponents Olympiacos are fighting for the title in the Greek top flight once more this season, fourth place but only one point off second. Follow the action from the first leg below and see the Aston Villa vs Olympiacos predictions and latest odds here.

Aston Villa vs Olympiacos – LIVE

• Kick-off at 8pm

• Villa XI: Olsen, Cash, Konsa, Lenglet, Digne, Bailey, McGinn, Luiz, Rogers, Diaby, Watkins

• Olympiacos XI: Tzolakis, Rodinei, Retsos, Carmo, Ortega, Hezze, Iborra, Chiquinho, Podence, El Kaabi, Fortounis.

Aston Villa vs Olympiacos – LIVE

19:45 , Karl Matchett

The aforementioned news on European spots of course impacts Villa’s need to finish in the top four, but they won’t worry about that tonight and can’t do anything about it anyway – Spurs are currently in action at Chelsea and you can follow that live blog here if you wish:

Chelsea vs Tottenham LIVE: Latest Premier League updates

Aston Villa vs Olympiacos – LIVE

19:36 , Karl Matchett

The Premier League has missed out on a fifth Champions League spot for next season to the Bundesliga.

One club from each of the two countries who collectively perform best in European club competition this season are granted additional places in the new-look 36-team league phase being introduced for the 2024-25 season.

Borussia Dortmund’s semi-final first leg victory over Paris St Germain on Wednesday night sealed the second spot for Germany.

Italy wrapped up the first ‘European Performance Spot’ (EPS) last month, and it now means that no matter how well Aston Villa do in the Europa Conference League, England cannot secure an extra place.

Villa must now hold on to fourth spot in the Premier League in order to qualify for the Champions League. They are seven points ahead of Tottenham, but Spurs have two games in hand on Unai Emery’s team.

Dortmund would be the team to benefit from the second EPS as they currently occupy fifth place in the Bundesliga.

If Dortmund go on to win this season’s Champions League, the team finishing sixth – currently Eintracht Frankfurt – would secure the EPS.

Aston Villa vs Olympiacos – LIVE

19:26 , Karl Matchett

Around 35 minutes to kick-off at Villa Park and the anticipation is certainly building…the fans are giving the players a phenomenal entrance for their first European semi-final in 42 years!

Aston Villa vs Olympiacos – LIVE

19:07 , Karl Matchett

And the visiting side’s lineup!

Former Premier League winger Daniel Podence is there, who used to be with Wolves, as is ex-Leicester midfielder Vicente Iborra.

Olympiacos XI: Tzolakis, Rodinei, Retsos, Carmo, Ortega, Hezze, Iborra, Chiquinho, Podence, El Kaabi, Fortounis.

Aston Villa vs Olympiacos – LIVE

19:05 , Karl Matchett

Villa lineup is in – Olsen in net as expected and Rogers keeps his place after a great run of form.

Villa XI: Olsen, Cash, Konsa, Lenglet, Digne, Bailey, McGinn, Luiz, Rogers, Diaby, Watkins

Unai Emery has total trust in Aston Villa’s deputy goalkeeper Robin Olsen

18:50 , Karl Matchett

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery says he has full faith in deputy goalkeeper Robin Olsen going into Thursday’s Europa League Conference semi-final first leg with Olympiacos.

The Sweden international will play as number one Emiliano Martinez is suspended after picking up three yellow cards in the competition so far, with two of them coming in the quarter-final second-leg win in Lille.

Olsen may well have been playing anyway as Martinez sustained a hamstring injury in the first half of Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Chelsea, with the 34-year-old coming on at half-time.

Unai Emery has total trust in Aston Villa’s deputy goalkeeper Robin Olsen

Aston Villa vs Olympiacos – LIVE

18:40 , Karl Matchett

The other match tonight is Fiorentina vs Club Brugge – naturally, the winners there and in this tie will be meeting in the final.

This year, the Europa Conference League final is being held in Athens…another big incentive, then, for Villa’s opponents to go the distance.

We’ll also keep you posted from the Europa League semis played tonight:

Roma vs Leverkusen

Marseille vs Atalanta.

All matches kick off at 8pm BST.

The hidden gems and Premier League misfits leading Olympiacos to Greek football history

18:30 , Karl Matchett

Aston Villa, the only English left in Europe, are preparing for a semi-final in the Europa Conference League, but ultimately believe they will eventually reach a higher place than the third tier of European club football.

For their opponents, Olympiacos, this is as big as it gets for them in recent years, and they are doing it with some of the castaway members from Premier League clubs.

It is a first-ever appearance in a European semi-final for Thrylos, their place in the final four has been in jeopardy on multiple occasions along the way.

Nathan Edwards looks at Villa’s opponents tonight:

The Premier League misfits guiding Olympiacos to Greek football history

Aston Villa vs Olympiacos – LIVE

18:20 , The Independent

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Aston Villa vs Olympiacos – LIVE

18:10 , Karl Matchett

Aston Villa and Olympiacos vie for a place in a European final as the two clubs meet in the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League.

Unai Emery’s side survived a penalty shootout to edge out Lille in the last eight and get home advantage first in the two-legged tie.

Their Greek opponents also needed penalties to overcome Fenerbahce, with Konstantinos Tzolakis saving three penalties to continue to build his reputation as a goalkeeper of real promise.

The winner of the encounter will take on either Fiorentina or Club Brugge in the final in Athens on May 29.

Here’s everything you need to know.

Is Aston Villa v Olympiacos on TV? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch

Aston Villa vs Olympiacos – LIVE

17:42 , Karl Matchett

Hello and welcome to the Independent’s live coverage of the Europa Conference League semi-final first leg, where Aston Villa are playing hosts to Greek side Olympiacos.

It’s a massive chance to land silverware for the Premier League club, who have been resurgent under Unai Emery and could yet seal a top-four finish in England too. For now though it’s full attention on the hunt for a European trophy, meaning they’ll need a decent first-leg result tonight.

Stay tuned for all the team news and match build-up.