Moussa Diaby: Aston Villa will fight to the end in Greece

But Moussa Diaby knows it is the team celebrating at the final whistle of Thursday's Europa Conference League semi-final second leg which really matters – and has promised Villa will “fight till the end” to make sure it is them.

“That’s what we want,” declared the France international. “That will mean c’est finis. Job done.”

Diaby had no issue with the post-match exuberance of Olympiacos’ players and staff, after a result hailed as one of the finest in the Greek club’s history. Yet one wonders whether pictures of owner Evangelos Marinakis and his entourage signalling the 4-2 scoreline with their fingers might have done the rounds of the Villa dressing room this week.

Regardless, Diaby is confident Unai Emery’s team have what it takes to produce another memorable performance – in a season which has featured numerous – and overturn a two-goal deficit to reach the Europa Conference League final.

“We have the mentality of winners and I want to get to the final,” he said. “We’ve lost, OK, we’ve got a second leg there. I believe in my team. We will win there, for sure.

“In the second leg we have to go there full of energy, fight until the end. I know Villa will do this.”

Diaby knows Villa will have to contend with a raucous atmosphere inside the 33,000-capacity Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, with tickets for the second leg having swiftly sold out.

In terms of noise, they are unlikely to have experienced anything since the opening group stage match at Legia Warsaw, where they were beaten 3-2.

Villa’s record signing claims to be relishing the challenge. He said: “The stadium there is really hot. Like Villa Park, a good atmosphere. I want to play in this game and do my best to motivate my team-mates.

“I don’t think it was a mistake, for them (to celebrate). They won. They have to be happy. If we won, we’d have done the same. But we have a second leg. We have to fight there and show them Aston Villa are the best.”