Aston Villa's Europa Conference League Campaign Ends in Disappointment

Shock Defeat to Olympiakos in Semi-Final First Leg

Aston Villa's hopes of reaching the UEFA Europa Conference League final were dealt a major blow on Thursday evening, as they suffered a shock 4-2 defeat to Greek side Olympiakos in the first leg of their semi-final clash.

The result leaves Villa with a mountain to climb in the second leg if they are to progress to the final in Prague next month. Despite taking an early lead through Ollie Watkins, Villa conceded twice in quick succession before half-time and fell further behind after the break.

Villa's cause was not helped by the sending off of Ashley Young in the second half, and they ultimately paid the price for a disjointed performance.

Speaking after the game, Villa captain John McGinn admitted that everything that could have gone wrong did. "It was a chaotic performance from us," he said. "We made too many mistakes and we were punished by a very good Olympiakos team."

The defeat is a major setback for Villa, who have enjoyed a positive season under manager Unai Emery. They remain in contention for a top-six finish in the Premier League, but their European campaign now looks to be over.