El Kaabi Hits Hat-trick As Olympiakos Shock Aston Villa, Fiorentina Edge Club Brugge

Ayoub El Kaabi scored a hat-trick as Olympiakos stunned Aston Villa 4-2 on Thursday to close in on the final of the Europa Conference League on home soil in Athens later this month. Despite being in their first European semi-final for 42 years, Villa were favourites to lift the trophy, thanks in large part to manager Unai Emery's record as a four-time Europa League winner. Prince William was among the Villa fans left disappointed in the stands as a bad night for Emery's men capped a miserable season for English clubs in Europe.

Villa are the sole survivors from the Premier League at the semi-final stage of the three European competitions.

"Everything that could go wrong did go wrong tonight," said Villa captain John McGinn.

"Just mistakes all round tonight. We take responsibility but it is up to us to go to Greece next week and turn it around because we are more than capable."

Olympiakos showed no signs of nerves in their first ever European semi-final with El Kaabi taking his tally for the season to 30 goals.

The Moroccan striker was initially flagged offside for the opener on 17 minutes but a VAR check showed he had timed his run perfectly to slot in from Chiquinho's flick.

Villa are set for even more glamorous European nights next season as they sit fourth in the Premier League and within touching distance of securing Champions League football.

However, signs of fatigue have shown in recent weeks at the end of a gruelling campaign and they were cut open easily once more for Olympiakos' second.

El Kaabi sprung the offside trap again to round Robin Olsen and double the visitors' lead.

Momentum looked to have swung back in favour of the hosts either side of half-time.

Ollie Watkins reduced the deficit with his 27th goal