In the group stage, the English team topped their group in the UEFA Europa Conference League. In six matches, they accumulated 13 points, edging out their closest pursuer by just one point. Thanks to winning the group, Villa advanced directly to the round of 16 and did not play in the round of 32. Their first opponent in the playoffs under Emery’s leadership was Ajax. The first match in the Netherlands ended in a 0-0 draw, but Aston Villa then dominated the opponent with a 4-0 victory at home. In the quarter-finals, the English team faced off against Lille. This time, the matches were very tough and tense, with both teams securing victories at their home stadiums with a score of 2-1. Consequently, with the aggregate score level, Lille and Aston Villa went to a penalty shootout, where the English representatives emerged victorious. Aston Villa prevailed over Lille in the penalty shootout and advanced to the semi-finals.
The Greek team began their European journey in the UEFA Europa League. In the group stage, they found themselves in a tough group with Freiburg and West Ham. Olympiacos finished third and dropped into the UEFA Europa Conference League. In the round of 32, they defeated Ferencv?ros with an aggregate score of 2-0. Then, in the round of 16, they achieved an incredible feat. In the first leg against Maccabi Tel Aviv, Olympiacos lost 1-4, seemingly with little chance of advancing to the quarter-finals, but the Greeks proved otherwise. They crushed the Israeli team 6-1, advancing with a total score of 7-5 over the two legs. In the quarter-finals, Olympiacos faced tough matches once again. In the first leg against Fenerbah?e, the Greek team won 3-2, and the regular time of the second leg ended 0-1 in favor of the Turks. In this tie, both teams also went to a penalty shootout, where Olympiacos emerged victorious.
