Aston Villa ‘worst-case scenario’ mooted for Europa Conference League clash v Olympiacos
Ty Bracey has refused to write off Aston Villa under Unai Emery against Olympiacos despite injury concerns and a lack of recent form.
The Villans travel to Athens knowing they have to turn around a two-goal deficit after a 4-2 defeat in the first leg at Villa Park.
Morgan Rogers went off injured against Brighton and alongside Emi Martinez and Youri Tielemans, there are many injury doubts to contend with.
Despite this, given the miracles that Emery has worked with Villa since joining, Bracey remains confident of booking a place in the Conference League final.
Speaking exclusively to Villa News, Bracey said: “It depends if Rogers is out. It depends if Tielemans is back. It depends if Martinez is back.
“We need to go out all guns blazing, I think we’ve got to go hard. We’ve got a two-goal deficit against us but it doesn’t mean anything.
“I’d rather it not go to extra time so if we’re going to get the goals it needs to be, at worst, 3-0. That has to be a worst-case scenario.
“I will never doubt Unai Emery and what he is capable of. I don’t think it is over. It would be a huge discredit to the fans going to Greece and to Emery and his team to say it is over.
“I’m hopeful we can do it. I really am.”
What went wrong for Aston Villa v Olympiacos?
Simply put, they took their chances when they came and reduced Villa to very few chances throughout.
Ayoub El Kaabi gave Clement Lenglet and Ezri Konsa the run around all night as they couldn’t deal with his physicality. He took advantage to score a hat trick.
The xG and possession stats summed up the game. According to FotMob, the away side registered 1.59 xG from just 35 per cent possession. Comparatively, Villa managed 1.39 xG with 65 per cent possession.
Not much could be done for their fourth goal as the deflection left Robin Olsen scrambling as it bounced off him and in.
The midfield was run over by Olympiacos who packed the centre of the pitch to leave John McGinn and Douglas Luiz out at sea.
Travelling to Athens the Villans need to win that midfield battle and take their chances when they come. The returns of Rogers, Tielemans and Martinez could make all the difference.
In other Aston Villa news, Emi Martinez news emerges from Argentina, it’s ‘massive’ for Aston Villa.
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