ASTON VILLA'S great European adventure was left in ruins here in Athens as England's last remaining hopes were finally dashed.
The Premier League may be the biggest show in the world, but there will be no English representation at any of UEFA's three showpieces.
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Another Moroccan assassin Ayoub El Kaabi did the damage seven days later with a deadly double his hat-trick at Villa Park left Villa with a mountain on the scale of Mount Olympus.
Even a four-time Europa League winner Unai Emery could not prevent this Greek tragedy from happening.
Despite enjoying the vast majority of possession, this was one game too many for the Spaniard's tired side.
While Olympiakos got the weekend off, Villa lost in Brighton and looked leggy here.
And so the Euro-dream, just a stone's throw from the ancient ruins of the Acropolis and the Parthenon Villa, turned into rubble.
On Monday night it is Liverpool where they hope to muster the energy to secure fourth place and Champions League football.
But after this heartbreaking disappointment, they will have to give up.
All credit to Olympiakos, who have waited 53 years to finally put an end to their fierce city rivals Panathinaikos' boast of being the only Greek club to have reached a major European final.
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Ferenc Puskas' Pana lost 2-0 to Johan Cruyff's Ajax at Wembley in 1970-71 and Jose Luis Mendilibar's men were determined to eclipse that, especially with this month's final taking place in Athens.
Olympiacos' Under-19s showed the seniors the way by beating AC to win the UEFA Youth League – the first Greek club to win a UEFA tournament.
All the stars now seem to be aligned for the hosts who will face Fiorentina in the final.
Villa had hoped that the Greeks' two-goal lead in the first leg would make them too cautious, or better yet, complacent.
Sadly, that wasn't the case as Olympiakos, egged on by their frenzied fans, seized control of the tie by getting the early goal they so desperately wanted.
The sight of Emi Martinez taking his usual place between the sticks was welcome to the 1,600 traveling army of Villa fans, as was the return of Pau Torres and Diego Carlos to defence.
But there was an early scare for the visitors when the ball ended up via the head of Diego Carlos via an Olympiacos throw to Chiquinho, who hooked his shot into the side netting.
Villa responded by pushing Olympiakos back and they forced a hat-trick of corners, all of which went wide.
Then came the moment Emery must have feared as Olympiakos destroyed his side on the counter-attack, just as they had done at Villa Park.
Once again Villa's high back line imploded when Daniel Podence was picked out on the left with a long ball from the defense.
His first cross was blocked by John McGinn but the ball flew back to the former Wolves man who fed the overlapping left-back Quini.
He drilled in a low cross and Pau Torres failed to quell the threat.
Unfortunately, the ball ended up at the feet of the last man Villa wanted.
Lethal hitman Ayoub El Kaabi had stunned Villa with a hat-trick in Birmingham and there was no way he could miss the open goal in front of him.
He calmly scored his 31st goal of the season and broke Villa's heart again.
Emery's team now needed three goals to force extra time!
Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey both had shots that were blocked by a red and white wall of defenders.
Douglas Luiz's tall ranger didn't have the strength to trouble Kostas Tzolakis in the Greek goal and Bailey headed over at full speed.
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Villa had plenty of possession – 75 per cent in a dominant first period – but Olympiakos pressed on, cheered on by their fanatical fans and ultras.
Rodinei crashed into Bailey on the edge of the penalty area, but Douglas Luiz curled his free-kick well over.
Martinez held Fortouni's 25-yarder for a moment that summed up Villa's first 45 minutes.
Watkins fed Bailey who played in a tempting low delivery but Matty Cash stumbled for a gaping goal.
When your luck runs out, it really runs out!
Bailey then crashed in a ferocious effort that pushed Tzolakis over and a frustrating half ended with a yellow card for Douglas Luiz for bringing down Fortounis.
The locals have a tradition of smashing crockery and Emery must have been tempted to throw a few teacups during the break.
His side certainly kept fighting.
Watkins headed over before Emery sent striker Jhon Duran through for Diaby.
The Colombian boy fired in a shot that Tzolakis spilled before Konsa headed over from Bailey's corner.
Villa's night of misery was complete, however, when El Kaabi raced clear from long-range Tzolakis to beat Martinez.
At first glance the Moroccan looked well offside, but after a lengthy VAR check the Stadio Karaiskakis erupted when Konsa was judged to have played him marginally offside and the goal was awarded.
In reality, Villa simply couldn't turn silver into gold in the birthplace of the Olympic Games.