Aston Villa vs Olympiacos tips and predictions: Villans to place one foot in the final

Aston Villa are on the verge of reaching their first European final since 1982 and have just one obstacle in their way, Greek giants Olympiacos. 

The side from Athens have been regulars in European competitions and have previous when it comes to knocking out English teams. 

Arsenal were dumped out of the Europa League in 2020 by the 47-time Greek champions and they also stopped Burnley's European adventure at the play-off stage in 2018. 

Unai Emery will be wary of Olympiacos' European know-how but Aston Villa will come into this game as huge favourites. 

The Greek side are not the force they once were and have been usurped as the top side in Greece as they lost out on the title to AEK Athens last season and their local rivals are in the box seat to win the league again this term.

Aston Villa are comfortably sitting in fourth in the Premier League and it looks highly likely that their fans' dreams of trips to the Bernabeu and San Siro could become a reality with the Villans holding a seven-point lead over Tottenham.

 Having a big buffer in the league will give Emery's side the chance to focus on this semi-final and will likely go full strength. 

Morgan Rogers has been a brilliant signing for the Villans and scored in the Chelsea draw, which took him to four goal contributions in just seven Premier League starts, so we're backing the ex-Middlesbrough man to open his European account here.

Goals have often been a theme of Villa's matches in the Europa Conference League, with their 12 games in the competition producing 37 goals, an average of over three per game so over 2.5 goals is worth a punt. 

Olympiacos have been leaky at the back this season too, conceding in 10 of their last 11 games across all competitions, so Villa will know they have a chance to stamp their authority on the game.

Despite this, the Greek side have won five out of their last seven across all competitions and have scored 18 goals in that period.

Villa's odds are extremely short-priced, so we think it's best to go with a Villa -1.5 Asian handicap, given that Emery's men have won by two goals or more on 16 occasions across all competitions this season.

 

Key stats

- Aston Villa have won all six of their Europa Conference League home games

- Unai Emery has reached five European finals

- Olympiacos have never reached a European final

- Olympiacos have won just 27.5% of matches against English opposition, losing 57.5% and drawing 15%

 

Suggested bets

Aston Villa asian handicap -1.5

Morgan Rogers to score in 90 mins

Over 2.5 match goals

 

Top football bookies have already priced in the favourite at 7/5