Aston Villa manager Unai Emery did not hold back in his assessment of his team's performance after a humiliating 4-2 defeat to Olympiacos in the first leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final in Athens.
The usually composed Spaniard was visibly furious, branding his players' efforts as "lazy" and admitting they were second best in every department against the Greek side.
The match was nothing short of a nightmare for the Premier League outfit. Ayoub El Kaabi netted a first-half hat-trick for the hosts, with Villa's defence looking uncharacteristically porous and disorganised. Ollie Watkins and Moussa Diaby did manage to pull goals back, but a late penalty from Santiago Hezze sealed a commanding two-goal advantage for Olympiacos heading into the second leg at Villa Park.
Emery's post-match interview was a stark contrast to his usual measured tone. He pulled no punches, stating: "We are not favourites. We have to feel the disappointment and accept the feeling. We have to try to come back with our supporters and try to break it. We will focus on Sunday [against Brighton] and then we will focus on next Thursday."
Where It Went Wrong for Villa
The manager pinpointed a lack of intensity and poor decision-making as the root causes of the defeat.
- Defensive fragility: Villa's backline, which has been a strength this season, was torn apart repeatedly.
- Midfield battle lost: Olympiacos dominated the centre of the park, overpowering Villa's engine room.
- Lack of clinical edge: Despite creating chances, Villa were wasteful in front of goal for large periods.
"We have to accept that we were not good," Emery conceded. "We were not competitive. We can analyse the tactics but first is the commitment. For me, the most important thing is to be competitive. And we were not competitive."
A Mountain to Climb at Villa Park
The result leaves Villa with a monumental task in the return leg. Needing to win by at least two clear goals to force extra time, the pressure will be immense. Emery will demand a significant reaction from his squad, who must now prove that this performance was a mere aberration and not a sign of fatigue as the season reaches its climax.
