Villa qualify for Champions League if Tottenham fail to win‘People have written us off and we’ve floated under the radar’ Aston Villa’s captain, John McGinn, joked that he and his teammates would don Manchester City shirts on Tuesday in the hope Pep ­Guardiola’s side help them to clinch a ­Champions League spot by winning at Tottenham. Anything but a Spurs victory against the champions would guaran­tee Villa fourth place and a return to Europe’s premier competition for the first time since 1982-83. Villa took a significant step towards sealing a Champions League berth after the substitute Jhon Durán’s heroic late double secured a draw against Liver­pool in Jürgen Klopp’s final away game. Liverpool took the lead inside 62 seconds courtesy of an Emiliano Martínez own goal and led 3-1 after 48 minutes after goals from Cody Gakpo and Jarell Quansah. But Durán, who had scored once in the league since September, struck twice in the final five minutes of normal time. Continue reading...

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When it finally arrived, there was an air of resignation from Vincent Kompany. For almost 40 minutes of the second half, his Burnley side had somehow held out in the face of a Tottenham onslaught as Ange Postecoglou’s side launched wave after wave of attacks. Having taken a surprise lead in the first half through Jacob Bruun Larsen’s well-taken strike, a Tottenham fightback thanks to goals from Pedro Porro and Micky van den Ven ended Burnley’s brave resistance and confirmed that they are heading back to where they came from 12 months ago. But as well as keeping up their slim chances of reaching the Champions League – only a victory over Manchester City on Tuesday that could hand Arsenal the title will suffice as they bid to catch Aston Villa in fourth spot – there was also relief for Postecoglou as he avoided becoming the first Spurs manager since Ossie Ardiles in 1994 to lose five league games in a row. While this was far from a return to their free-flowing best from earlier in the season, sometimes the result is all that matters. Continue reading...

There is a graffiti mural in the north stand – home to the most ardent, impassioned Olympiakos supporters – that displays a mockup of Muhammad Ali standing over his opponent sandwiched between the words: “Piraeus means knock out!” And so it proved for Aston Villa, whose European adventure came to a joyless end in the Greek port. Unai Emery, a four-time Europa League winner, will not get his hands on the Europa Conference League trophy this season and Villa’s hopes of a first major European trophy since lifting the European Cup in 1982 are over. Continue reading...

Europa Conference League semi-final news, 8pm BST kick-offLive scoreboard | Read Football Daily | And you can mail Will Will the goalkeeper be fit to start? Quiet night at the library. Continue reading...

Angry Spurs manager says his side lacked ‘positive mindset’Pochettino defiant after statement win over his former club Ange Postecoglou admitted Tottenham had the wrong mindset after their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League were hit by a limp 2-0 loss to Chelsea. Spurs, who lie seven points below fourth-placed Aston Villa with four games to go, were woefully short of fight on a damaging night. Their frailties at set pieces were exposed again and although they have a game in hand on Villa, Postecoglou had no complaints about Chelsea extending his side’s losing run to three matches. Continue reading...

Aston Villa’s first major European semi-final since 1982 ultimately fell flat and unless Unai Emery can inspire a memorable turnaround in the port of Piraeus next week, his side’s adventure will end in disappointment. Olympiakos stormed into a two-goal lead at Villa Park and despite Ollie Watkins pulling a goal back before half-time and Moussa Diaby restoring parity after the break, the Greek side roused again to run out 4-2 winners, Ayoub El Kaabi helping himself to a hat-trick. Continue reading...

Conference League semi-final updates, 8pm BST kick-offRoma v Leverkusen: Europa League semi-final – liveLive scoreboard | Read Football Daily | And mail Taha Here’s how they’re looking … Here’s Ben Fisher on the wonderful time Villa are having. Continue reading...

'Gameday Gourmet' Daniyal Khan touches down in Birmingham to check out the best places to eat for football fans heading to Aston Villa's Villa Park.

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has extended his contract with the club until 2027.

Liverpool and West Ham exits likely to mean no fifth spotItaly and Germany well set to take two extra places The Premier League’s hopes of securing an extra spot in next season’s expanded Champions League are hanging by a thread after the exits of Manchester City and Arsenal from this season’s competition on Wednesday were followed by those of West Ham and Liverpool from the Europa League on Thursday. Germany are the strong favourites to pip England to the prize. The situation has ramped up the pressure in the battle between Aston Villa and Tottenham for a fourth-placed Premier League finish. Villa are fourth, three points ahead of Spurs, who have a game in hand. Continue reading...

Plus: Another famous night in Europe for Unai Emery as Aston Villa beat Lille on penalties; West Hams Europa League disappointment is a sign of their progress; Jeremie Frimpong settles Bayer Leverkusen nerves at the London Stadium

Lee Hendrie was left bemused as Emi Martinez was shown a second yellow card during Aston Villa’s penalty shootout with Lille but was not sent off. The Argentine then secured Villa’s progression by saving the hosts’ final penalty.

Emi Martinez saved Lilles first penalty before receiving his second yellow card of the night; there was confusion when he stayed on the pitch rather than being sent off; Aston Villa goalkeeper then saved the decisive spot-kick to send his side into the semi-finals