A European semi-final awaits Aston Villa tonight, handing one player the chance to impress Unai Emery.
Villa Park awaits Aston Villa and Olympiacos, as the two clubs prepare to battle over two legs for a spot in the Europa Conference League final.
Unai Emery’s side have been impressive on their run to the final four, with tonight’s challenge holding great importance, as Villa eye their first involvement in a European final since 1982.
The Villans will hope that their 2024 story can end similarly to that night in Rotterdam 42 years ago, with Olympiacos to get past first in the semi-final.
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With the first leg at home, Villa will be eager to impose themselves in the first 90 minutes of the tie to feel comfortable when entering the cauldron that is the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, making tonight’s fixture the biggest that Villa Park has hosted in years.
Emery will have a number of decisions to make over his selection, with a handful of players now needing to up their game after the below-par 2-2 draw against Chelsea last week.
Moussa Diaby must improve after his performance v Chelsea
One player who was far from his usual standards against the Blues was Moussa Diaby, who came on as a substitute in the first half and then was summoned back to the bench in the second half.
The Frenchman featured for 56 minutes at Villa Park during the draw, completing just four passes in that time and recording no dribbles, no duel wins and no key passes in what was an anonymous display.
In his post-match player ratings, journalist Charlie Haffenden handed Diaby a 4/10 rating, saying the 24-year-old ‘really struggled’, adding that him being subbed off after being subbed on epitomised his ‘lack of impact’.
It was a bad night for the France international, but not one that can’t be fixed, with tonight’s duel now presenting the summer arrival with the perfect chance to impress Emery.
Why Moussa Diaby has the perfect opportunity to impress against Olympiacos
Diaby replaced the injured Youri Tielemans during the Chelsea game, with the Belgian ruled out of tonight’s contest with a groin injury.
While it will be disappointing for Villa to not have the 26-year-old available, his absence now hands Diaby a chance to flourish and prove his worth once more.
Whether the Frenchman plays on the wing or in the middle behind Ollie Watkins, he has the opportunity to influence games as seen a host of times this season.
One of the record signing’s best performances this season came in the second leg of the Round of 16 against Ajax, where he scored and was a nuisance for the Dutch side to handle, a similar level of performance he will look to replicate this evening.
Tielemans’ injury hands the 24-year-old a chance to win the manager’s trust once more after his questionable showing against Chelsea, with the stakes remarkably high on what could be a magical night at Villa Park.
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