Olympiakos are set to face Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final after making history with a 2-0 win against Aston Villa in Thursday’s semi-final second leg. Jose Luis Mendilibar’s team secured a convincing 6-2 aggregate victory, largely thanks to Ayoub El Kaabi's brace, following his hat-trick in the first leg.

In a vibrant atmosphere at the Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus, Olympiakos, champions of Greece a record 47 times, secured their debut appearance in a major European final. The only other Greek club to reach a European final was Panathinaikos, who were defeated by Ajax in the 1971 European Cup final.

Adding to the sense of destiny for Olympiakos, they will face Italian side Fiorentina on May 29 at the AEK Arena, just 10 miles across Athens from their home stadium.

Jose Luis Mendilibar, who took charge in February, has quickly become an icon at Olympiakos by masterminding this historic achievement for Greek football.

Owned by Evangelos Marinakis, also the owner of Nottingham Forest, Olympiakos had struggled in European competitions before this season, having failed to advance from the group stage 14 times in 16 attempts.

If Olympiakos can secure their first European trophy in their 99-year history, it would be a remarkable feat akin to Greece’s surprising Euro 2004 triumph.

It is shaping up to be a successful year for Olympiakos, whose Under-19 team won the UEFA Youth League final against AC Milan in April.

On the other hand, Fiorentina, who lost last season’s Europa Conference League final to West Ham, secured their return to the final by defeating Club Brugge 4-3 on aggregate in the other semi-final on Wednesday.

Aston Villa's exit from the tournament marks the end of their hopes of reaching their first European final since 1982. After a 13-year absence from European competitions, Villa will now focus on securing a top-four finish in the Premier League to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Unai Emery, Villa's manager, acknowledged Olympiakos' deserving place in the final and highlighted the challenges of succeeding in European competitions.

Olympiakos dominated the match, with Ayoub El Kaabi sealing victory with his goals in the 10th and 78th minutes, showcasing relentless attacking prowess and solid defensive play.