Οlympiacos achieved something that just a few months ago seemed like an unattainable dream. At a time when everyone thought that another year was lost, having already changed two coaches, Diego Martínez and Carlos Carvalhal, a…commander came to not only change the atmosphere in the team but also to transform it into a team that reached the final of the Europa Conference League and remains alive in the hunt for the championship.
Under José Luis Mendilibar, Olympiacos reached the final of a European competition for the first time in its history, securing an epic victory against Aston Villa at the G. Karaiskakis Stadium with a 2-0 win, courtesy of two goals by El Arabi in the 10th and 80th minute.
A week earlier, they had taken the first step with a 4-2 victory in Birmingham.
Fifty-three years after Panathinaikos’s journey to Wembley, the Piraeus team became the second Greek team to compete in a European final. The Reds will face Fiorentina in the final of the Conference League at AEK’s stadium, the “OPAP Arena” in Nea Filadelfeia, on May 29th. Kick-off is scheduled for 22:00.
With their second victory and advancement over Aston Villa, the Reds added another 600 points to Greece, bringing the total to 31,125. This means that it rose to the 16th position and now shares the same points with Israel. However, it is still 325 points behind Denmark, which occupies the 15th position. In conclusion, if Olympiacos defeats Fiorentina in the final and secures the trophy, considering the additional 400 points, Greece will climb to the 15th position in UEFA’s coefficient rankings.
The party thrown by the Olympiacos fans on Thursday night lasted until the morning.
At the same time in Piraeus, fans had begun to “paint the town red,” turning night into day with flares and celebrating ecstatically their team’s massive advancement, demanding the trophy in the final to be held in Nea Filadelfeia and the OPAP Arena.
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The party of Olympiacos fans had started at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium and continued outside, with many heading towards Piraeus harbor.
Olympiacos’ qualification to the final of the Conference League and the elimination of Aston Villa became the top topic in the British sports media, which referred to it as a “Greek tragedy” for Aston Villa.
