HALF-TIME: Aston Villa 1-2 Olympiakos

45+3 min: Villa press forward and Luiz’s shot flies over – but the hosts have finally found their intensity.

GOAL! Aston Villa 1-2 Olympiakos (Watkins 45+1)

45 min: There’s contact between the pair but it does look like Bailey is looking for the tangle.

44 min: Bailey twists and turns inside the box and goes down … but the ref isn’t having any of it. No penalty. Ortega is the man who tangled with the Villa winger.

43 min: Olympiakos go short with a corner before it’s worked in to the middle, nearly dropping perfectly for El Kaabi to have a hit … but he plays it safe and opts for the pass. A goalkick is the end point of the attack.

42 min: Cash goes through the back of Podence with a leaping header – Villa just slightly losing their cool.

40 min: Podence and Luiz have a spat, and the ref intervenes to calm things down.

39 min: Podence leads Olympiakos’ counterattack and Fortounis hits a drive from the right … that just goes over Olsen and the crossbar. Another promising wave forward from the tourists.

38 min: Villa move the ball well through the middle, all the way to Bailey … but he can’t sort his feet out and get a shot off from the edge of the box.

37 min: Luiz lays it off short to McGinn who shoots inside the box with his left … and wins a corner. The ball in is cleared at the near post.

36 min: Cash slides in a ball down the line for Bailey to chase, and he’s fouled on the edge of the box, Carmo sliding in and causing the damage.

34 min: McGinn’s corner from the right is overhit, summing up Villa’s lack of finesse at present.

33 min: Luiz, hairdryer complete, picks it up in midfield and Villa attack down the right as Cash breaks into the box and Bailey picks up the leftovers, winning a corner.

31 min: Unai Emery is going absolutely ballistic at Douglas Luiz.

GOAL! Aston Villa 0-2 Olympiakos (El Kaabi 29)

28 min: Olympiakos happy to just send the ball high towards their centre forward, El Kaabi, and see what carnage that causes.

27 min: A long Olympiakos ball from the back tries to find El Kaabi but it’s headed away. Iborra wins the ball in the middle as the visitors circulate the ball before another long punt finds Olsen.

25 min: Diaby tries to play Watkins inside the box, but there are two Olympiakos shirts hanging tight on the Villa striker, and the ball runs out for a goal kick.

23 min: The Villa fans are still going. Olympiakos are fuelled by the atmosphere at the moment, though, as Fortounis drives forward for the visitors.

21 min: Olsen just about brushes away a corner that flies deep. Fortounis tries to work it back into a dangerous area, but his long diagonal ball goes out.

20 min: Podence is causing problems, sliding in Ortega to cross from the left. It’s blocked for a corner.

GOAL! Aston Villa 0-1 Olympiakos (El Kaabi 16)

15 min: Watkins is clutching on to his right arm, in quite a bit of pain. That’s just after a Douglas Luiz hit from range that has an awkward bounce – but it’s dealt with by the keeper.

14 min: Villa almost get a bit too cute, with Bailey cutting in from the right and passing before the ball works its way to Digne as Olympiakos retreat and manage.

9 min: Disallowed goal! Luiz goes short with the corner and gets it back to dink a ball to the far post where Konsa gets on the end of it, working it across goal before Bailey heads in from close range … but the celebrations are quickly cut short. Apparently there was a foul in the buildup, Lenglet on Iborra.

8 min: Villa have settled in, working it around midfield before Digne tries to slide in a cross from the left. The ball is diverted out for a corner …

6 min: Cash advances up the field before the ball works it way to Rogers, who delivers a fine curling effort from the edge of the box … Tzolakis gets down to his left and pushes out for a corner. A terrific effort. Villa can’t capitalise from the corner.

4 min: A bright opening for Olympiakos, who look lively and keen to spoil the party. Podence is operating on the left and has enjoyed himself in the early moments.

2 min: The Villa supporters break into song before Podence delivers a sublime ball into the box with the outside of his right foot, and Iborra gets a head on it at the far post, with Olsen tipping it over the bar. The flag goes up … but I reckon he might well have still been on.

1 min: Olympiakos knock it around at the back before Podence overhits an ambitious ball into the Villa box.

Peep!

“Good luck to Villa tonight,” writes Ian Sargeant, a gracious West Ham supporter. “Keep the ribbons on the trophy. Best non family night of my life in prague last year.”

Just 10 minutes away now. Feel free to drop me a line with your thoughts, queries, film recs, life advice, whatever you fancy.

I’ve crunched the numbers and I believe Villa have five changes to the starting XI from their quarter-final second leg against Lille, including Robin Olsen replacing the suspended Martínez in goal. Olympiacos have two changes from their last-eight clash with Fenerbahce, with former Manchester City man Stefan Jovetic beginning on the bench. Another Olympiakos name familiar to Our League is Daniel Podence, on loan from Wolves, who starts.

Just in case you don’t want my company (your loss, but I won’t take any – *he sobs* – offence).

The teams

Here’s Ben Fisher on the wonderful time Villa are having.

Preamble