Topic: ⚽UEFA Conference League Discussion Thread -- 2022/23 | Round of 16 - page 13. (Read 7315 times)

Aston Villa struggled of what to do when they have the most of their possession. Olympiacos stuck to their game plan and scored twice. So, it's right says if you have the ball most of the time, it doesn't matter if you can't score. They tried to control the game by keeping possession and waiting for opportunities, but that opportunities never came, ultimately which leading to their exit from the Europa Conference League. Now, the final is set between Olympiacos and Fiorentina.

Back home in the local top league tournament where Olympiakos dominates, this year they were trying the classic approach of trying to dominate in possession but obviously it didn't pay off this season at least locally. Olympiakos is now bound to finish far from the top spot, at best I'd say third unless a miracle happens.

It's amazing in a year where they didn't do as well as expected in the local league they manage to conquer the conference league final position. Well the recent change in coaches really seems to be paying off now. José Luis Mendilibar really seems capably to bring this team up to a european standard in their play style and based on their current capabilities. Olympiakos owner Marinakis is said to be poised to invest even more in valuable transfers, it'll be interesting to see if Olympiakos keeps fairing well in European tournaments with this strategy.

When you're playing in the semi final of an European competition, winning possession becomes the least you can ever think of because getting the result that'll send you to the final of the competition is the more important statistics you're looking for and not the possession. Aston Villa controlled most part of the game tonight and but their superior percentage in possession wasn't enough to help them eliminate their Greek opponents tonight.

They did not win the possession, but they won the game which is a sign to shown that possession does not always win games.
Olympiakos had their plan and the better chance of going to the finals of the Conference League and they were able to make sure that Aston Villa go home. Aston Villa are a very strong team especially this season where they have been playing on very good form. The finals now decide, and it will be between Olympiakos and Fiorentina.

Olympiacos beat Aston Villa 2-0 at home. This year's surprise team, we really need to congratulate this team. Many people did not predict that Olympiacos would reach the final and that they would beat them again today.

The final will be Fiorentina vs Olympiacos.
Fiorentina lost to West Ham in the final last year.
They will definitely want to win the cup this year. My favorite team in the final is Fiorentina.

Olimpiacos 2 - 0 Aston Villa

I still remember as if it were yesterday a post I read last month in which someone said what the end would be for Aston Villa against Fiorentina, and I told the person that although Aston Villa are strong, they can do a lot of stupid things when they become inconsistent and That's why I didn't see them reaching the final, and from what I'm seeing I'm right, Aston Villa was eliminated very easily by the Olimpiacos. despite Aston Villa being in a much more competitive league and occupying one of the 4 best positions in the Premier League, Aston Villa were still unable to beat an opponent from a lower league. It seems that in the Premier League, Manchester City is the only team that shows that it is in a high position in the Premier League and that only a team of Real Madrid's level would have a chance of beating them in a 2-round game. the rest of the premier league teams have not had good quality when playing outside the premier league


Clube Brugge 1 - 1 Fiorentina


With some difficulty in the first and second legs, Fiorentina managed to reach the final and congratulations for that. It was not an easy tie as some people predicted, Brugge showed that they are a strong team, but the difference in league competitiveness weighed heavily, Fiorentina is a team from a good league, they knew how to manage the game well, and it is true that the defense Fiorentina had to work hard to contain the Brugge players' attack. Now, I wonder what Fiorentina will do in the final, because it seems to me that their opponent in the final is much superior to Brugge

It really seems like Olympiakos is getting to the final while having just 20% possession.
If I was an Aston Villa fan I would be fuming, coping and seething. Well Aston Villa would need to score too many goals than realistically possibly to advance but still they could have done their best to win. However it's interesting to still see them losing while having like 80% possession. The strategy Olympiakos is playing seems to be paying off against premiere league teams. Risky but it works. Would be interesting to see what they do in the final.

Great analysis there. Did go see how the prediction is going and Aston Villa has already delivered six complete corners personally in the game already.

Yeah, since they had the lead in the first fixture then this is a game to see them going defensive and very compact. Absorb all of the pressure they can because Aston Villa is playing all attack in this game. With three if not two defenders when they're attacking. The right full back and that of the left fullback are simply being effective.

I don't know him so well, but I think he is more of a solid defender for Aston Villa. Olympiacos are already taking the lead even at halftime.

Worst start possible for them going 1-0 down so early. Only 30 minutes to go and the aggregate score is 5-2 to the Greeks. Barring a miracle Aston Villa are going out, they might be tired and despondent when we play them in Klopp’s penultimate game in charge Monday night though.

No English team in the semi finals of the CL or EL this season and Aston Villa getting taught a lesson in the Conference League. Best league in the world, I think not. 

I guess not. Needed them to score first at least, and it isn't too late to win the game with 40 left on the clock, but a bridge too far to score 3, which is what they really need.

Emi in goal, no difference. Wonder what this says about English teams. Villa tearing up the top 4 story in Englan but struggling against Olympiakos (all due respect).

I really feel for England because all their representative in the European competitions will be out because I don't see a miracle in this game between Olympiacos and Aston Villa, Unai Emery is unable to prove his worth tonight and it's a very bad night for Villa fans. One thing about football is that if you are unable to defend a match when you are playing at your home is always difficult to survive while playing at a away.
When Aston Villa were unable to win Olympiacos at Villa Park and lost by 2:4 i already knew they won't be able to withstand Olympiacos at their own ground and that is exactly what is happening now. I just feel for England because upon the numerous clubs that went for the European competitions none were able to make it to the finals which is very bad performance from the England teams.

Emery isn't able to do magic today either as it seems.    Olympiacos are about to finish the first half 1-0 ahead. I still can't believe this result to be honest. I thought maybe Emery would find a way to make a comeback but he is desperate. I don't see any rotation in the lineup too but the same problems are seen. Congratulations to Olympiacos already.    Now I wonder whether Fiorentina will win the title after reaching the final for the 2nd time in a row.

Olympiakos and Aston Villa meet again today.Olympiakos won the first match 4-2 away and gained a huge advantage.Aston Villa will want to make good use of this advantage at home.Aston Villa's job here is very difficult but not impossible.Olympiakos managed to take a 1-0 lead as of the 32nd minute in the ongoing match.Although Olympiakos scored the goal, we must say that the match was mainly under Aston Villa's control.34 Aston Villa, who reached 81 percent possession in 34 minutes, will need to score 3 goals without conceding at least one.

I'm also expecting a Villa comeback in this match, although maybe it won't happen... Olympiacos will play enough in defence and try to score just one goal to get to the final... I hope that Villa will be able to score some goals to give a fight in this match, but I think that Olympiacos will not make any mistakes in this very important game...

After a 4-2 first leg, Olympiakos really should do enough to proceed to the final. It is not an insurmountable lead though, if Villa were to score the first goal tonight it would set up a great game and possible make the home team nervous.

I still fully expect Olympiakos to get to the final but Villa won’t give up without a real fight, they’ve shown that all season.

Today we will see what Aston Villa can do to get out of the pinhole at Olympiacos home later, it is difficult to say if Aston Villa can make a comeback in the match, because they have to chase 3 goals on aggregate at the opponent home to qualify or make the aggregate a draw with an aggregate of 4-4 to be able to continue the match until extra time,  What you said may indeed be done by Olympiacos in that game, Olympiacos, who have the advantage of playing at home and also superior on aggregate goals over Aston Villa, of course, may defend completely in the game and make a counterattack to try to find another goal, but I think precisely if Olympiacos defends it will make Aston Villa more free to develop their game in the second leg.

Although it is difficult of course Aston Villa still has hope to be able to make a comeback and I think Aston Villa might be lucky to do it at home to Olympiacos later, I am personally optimistic, if indeed Aston Villa will be able to play better in that match and of course Unai Emery with all his experience in European competitions so far has have the right solution and strategy to be able to do miracles in Greece later.

Aston can not defeat Olympiacos, after seeing their first leg of the semifinal in this Europa Conference league I am very sure that Olympiacos will qualify for the final stage and play against Fiorentina, I know that Aston Villa is a big team and they are very strong but I don’t think they can win the match, the first leg Olympiacos defeat them by winning 4:2 and the second game we are expecting Aston Villa to perform well? No, I don’t think that will happen, if it was a team like Leverkusen, Real Madrid or Manchester City I will believe that they can make a comeback and score goals in the match, Olympiacos are having good performances this season that’s what I want us to understand before believing in Aston Villa to win.

If you watched Aston Villa's match against Brighton in the premier league last week you will believe that Aston Villa is not that strong the way we are thinking, Brighton defeated Aston Villa in the game, although it was just 1:0 but it was still a defeat, Aston Villa had a good goalkeeper if not they won’t be in the position they are today, and for them to defeat Olympiacos and qualify to the final stage that will be very difficult for them.

MMM i dont know what to think about the game of tonight because Aston Villa can destroy Olimpiacos if they want because they are surely a must better team but we already see what they do went they lack of confidence or power of will like in the home game, a disaster.

About Fiorentina second final in a row, a lot for the Florence team.

I took the Villa corners, feel like there's a decent chance it hits considering they have to be on the front foot scoring goals.

Expect Olympiacos to be a little more conservative tonight, without the high press, not as open as they were in the first game, set up deep in their own half maybe waiting on the counter attack to get a decider.

I'm also thinking of putting something on Douglas Luiz (either an assist or a goal), giving out a penalty, and then missing one himself, it's redemption time...

I dont think that they can pull of a miracle in this match. Olympiacos will defend as much as possible and go with counter attacks to score a goal. Aston Villa will need a fast goal at the start to try and have hopes of making it through. They are in bad form and i think it will be really hard for them to turn this around and make it to the final.