Olympiacos won the penalty shoot-out against Turkish side Fenerbache to book a place in the semi-finals of a UEFA competition for the first time in their history.
After a thrilling encounter, the Greek soccer giants progressed to the last four of the UEFA Europa Conference League (ECL), the third tier of continental club football in Europe.
The Turkish side took the lead in the 11th minute through winger Irfan Kahveci to level the aggregate score to 3-3 (Olympiacos won 3-2 in Piraeus last week).
This was the final score after extra time, but then in stepped the young Olympiacos goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis making three saves in the penalty shoot-out.
The shoot-out victory means Olympiacos has qualified for the first time in club history to the semi-finals of a European competition, and the first time since 1996 that a Greek side has made it to the final four in a European club tournament.
ΠΩ ΠΩ ΤΙ ΖΗΣΑΜΕ!
pic.twitter.com/h05NSNeXG4
— Olympiacos FC (@olympiacosfc) April 18, 2024
Olympiacos will now face English Premier League outfit Aston Villa as they bid to qualify for the ECL Final, which will be played at AEK’s home of “Agia Sophia” Stadium in May.
Hundreds of Olympiacos supporters gathered at the Athens International airport on Friday morning to welcome the players and the coaching staff.
Ομάδα και κόσμος ΕΝΑ! Σας ευχαριστούμε!
— Olympiacos FC (@olympiacosfc) April 19, 2024
PAOK knocked out of Europe
Meanwhile in Thessaloniki PAOK lost 0-2 to Club Brugge (0-3 on aggregate), bowing out of the ECL as a result.
The Thessaloniki team was second-best to its visitors, just like it had been at the first leg, when the Belgians had won 1-0.
Bruges went ahead with Ferran Jutlga on the 33rd, and the Spaniard got to score a second just before half-time, practically taking the tie beyond PAOK.
Olympiacos and PAOK protagonists in Greek soccer
Olympiacos and PAOK are also contenders for the title in Greece’s Super League, along with AEK Athens and Panathinaikos.
The Thessaloniki club was established on 20 April 1926 by Greek refugees who fled to Thessaloniki from Constantinople in the wake of the Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922), they play their home games at Toumba Stadium, a 29,000 seating capacity football ground.
PAOK is the only Greek team that has more wins than losses in their European record (89 wins, 65 draws and 76 defeats, as of 14 December 2023). It has won the top spot in the Greek Super League three times.
Olympiacos founded on 10 March 1925, is the most successful club in Greek football history, having won 47 League titles, 28 Cups (18 Doubles) and 4 Super Cups, all records.
Τotalling 79 national trophies, Olympiacos is 9th in the world in total titles won by a football club.