Olympiacos, on the other hand, are riding high after a stellar performance at Villa Park. Hat-trick hero Ayoub El Kaabi was the star of the show, scoring twice in the first 29 minutes and completing his hat-trick in the second half. With Santiago Hezze adding a fourth, Olympiacos pulled off a historic win in Birmingham, their first European away win in England since 1972.
Manager Jose Luis Mendilibar is on the brink of making history with Olympiacos. If they win, they'll become just the second Greek team to reach a major UEFA final, after Panathinaikos in 1970-71. With the second leg at home, Olympiacos are brimming with confidence, having not lost in their last eight games and winning four of their last five European home matches.
Villa, however, is in a tricky spot. Not even four-time Europa League winner Unai Emery could find a way to beat Olympiacos at home, and their recent 1-0 loss to Brighton in the Premier League didn't help. Emery himself admitted that Olympiacos are the favorites, and Villa's track record when trailing after the first leg isn't encouraging.
Adding to their troubles, Villa needs to score at least twice in Greece, but they've been struggling to find the back of the net in away games, scoring one goal or less in five of their last six matches. Despite this, they remain in a strong position in the Premier League, sitting fourth with a seven-point cushion over Tottenham in fifth place.
Villa has to bring their A-game if they want to keep their European dreams alive. It's a steep hill to climb, but if they can pull off an upset, it'll be a night to remember. Otherwise, their Conference League journey will end in Piraeus, and Olympiacos will be one step closer to European glory.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Olympiacos will be without Ruben Vezo, Gelson Martins, and Nelson Abbey for the Conference League clash against Aston Villa. These players are ineligible to participate in the tournament. Meanwhile, Stevan Jovetic is out with an injury. However, Olympiacos has some good news with Andreas Ndoj and Georgios Masouras returning after serving their suspensions.Ndoj might replace David Carmo at center-back, and Masouras will be in a showdown with Kostas Fortounis for a spot on the right side of the attack.
Following his hat-trick last week, Ayoub El Kaabi now has 30 goals this season across all competitions, matching Eran Zahavi's eight goals at the top of the Conference League scoring charts. He's set to lead the attack again on Thursday and could be joined by Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee Daniel Podence.
On the Aston Villa side, injuries continue to be a problem. Boubacar Kamara, Tyrone Mings, Emiliano Buendia (all with knee injuries), and Jacob Ramsey (toe injury) are out for the season. Additionally, Morgan Rogers, who left the game against Brighton with a muscle injury, is questionable for Thursday's match.
Youri Tielemans (muscle), Alex Moreno (calf), Nicolo Zaniolo (back), and Emiliano Martinez (thigh) are also uncertain, with Martinez awaiting a late fitness test after serving a suspension last week.
Given the uncertainty, Emery might not tinker much with his starting lineup. But if Rogers can't play, Jhon Duran might start alongside Ollie Watkins in the attack, or Matty Cash could get the nod on the right, with Leon Bailey moving to the left. This flexibility will be key as Villa tries to turn the tie around in Greece.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Olympiacos possible starting lineup:Tzolakis; Rodinei, Ndoj, Restos, Ortega; Iborra, Hezze; Masouras, Chiquinho, Podence; El Kaabi
Aston Villa possible starting lineup:
Martinez; Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Digne; Cash, Luiz, McGinn, Bailey; Diaby; Watkins
EXPERT PREDICTION
Olympiacos 2-1 Aston Villa
That said, Olympiacos might play it a bit safer this time, since they're already ahead by two goals. If they can protect that lead, they'll be through to the final. Aston Villa could still turn things around, but given their recent struggles, it won't be easy—even if they manage to win in Greece.
