Aston Villa will presented with a familiar face on Thursday evening, as the Midlands club welcome Olympiacos to Villa Park in the first leg of the Europa Conference League semi-final.
All eyes will be on Villa Park on Thursday night, as Unai Emery prepares to lead his side into the semi-final of the Europa Conference League.
Aston Villa will come up against Olympiacos in the hope of reaching the final, with either Club Brugge or Fiorentina waiting for the winner of the tie.
On paper, the Premier League club are the favourites based on their stance in one of Europe’s best leagues this season however, Emery will prepare himself for a great challenge against Olympiacos, who must not be underestimated.
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Jose Luis Mendilibar will bring a familiar face with his squad to Birmingham on Thursday night, a player who knows what it takes to hurt Villa and a player who is in fine form this season.
Aston Villa will come up against Daniel Podence on Thursday night
In January 2020, Daniel Podence arrived in the Premier League to sign for Wolves, who he is currently still a representative of whilst on loan at Olympiacos.
It was only last year that the Portuguese winger caused Villa problems, as he scored at Villa Park during Emery’s side’s 1-1 draw with the Old Gold, bringing with him experience of quieting the Holte End.
A player capable of representing a Premier League side should not be overlooked, with Podence now set to arrive at Villa Park on Thursday in searing form for his loan club this term.
Over the 2023/24 campaign, the 28-year-old has contributed to 24 goals, scoring 14 and assisting 10, with four of his goals coming in Europe.
The Wolves loanee will return to the Midlands having contributed to eight goals in his previous eight appearances for the Greek side, giving Villa something to fear when assessing the threat Olympiacos could pose.
Aston Villa are more than capable of keeping Olympiacos at bay
While Mendilibar’s side should not be overlooked, they should also not be feared considering the challenges Villa have overcome recently.
Last time out in the Conference League, the Villans fought back to beat Lille on penalties, a side that posed a significant test for Emery and one that Villa passed in dramatic fashion.
Being so close to the final will play in the back of Villa’s mind, with the threat that Olympiacos possess unlikely to be a factor that will unnerve the hosts on Thursday, who will look to put one step in the final in the first leg.
What Emery’s side will not want to do is take a narrow lead to Greece, with them having experienced the anxiety of having a one-goal advantage away from home in the second leg.
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