Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz was mocked for taking ‘one of the worst penalties you will ever see’ in Thursday’s Europa Conference League semi-final defeat against Olympiacos.
The Greek visitors – owned by Nottingham Forest chief Evangelos Marinakis – stunned Unai Emery’s Villa side as visiting striker Ayoub El Kaabi’s hat-trick earned his side a deserved 4-2 victory.
Villa have it all to do in the second leg next week as they attempt to navigate their way to a historic major European final and Luiz will be aiming to produce a much improved performance in Athens.
The Brazilian is Villa’s main penalty-taker having scored four times from the spot in the Premier League this season, but scuffed his latest effort at a crucial time in the game.
He was previously at fault earlier in the match after giving away a penalty for handball in the first half.
Aston Villa ‘s Douglas Luiz was mocked for taking ‘one of the worst penalties you will ever see’ against Olympiacos on Thursday
![Luiz had a chance to reduce the deficit against Olympiacos but scuffed his effort](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/03/00/84396851-13377805-image-a-38_1714692954102.jpg)
Luiz had a chance to reduce the deficit against Olympiacos but scuffed his effort
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Luiz was presented with a golden opportunity to reduce the deficit late on at Villa Park after Jhon Duran was brought down in the box just 10 minutes after making his introduction from the bench.
A lengthy wait followed as Olympiacos players tried to disrupt the 25-year-old’s routine and it proved to work as Diaz struck his effort against the post.
The ball then rolled out of play and Diaz – too embarrassed by the miss – pulled his Villa shirt up over his head as screams of delight in the away end of the stadium drowned out the groans of home supporters.
His Villa team-mates tried to rally as they attempted to force a way back into proceedings as critics on social media trolled the midfielder’s scuffed effort.
One Clarets supporter was incredibly frustrated with Diaz’ all-round performance, posting on X: ‘Luiz pulling out one of the all time horrendous performances.
‘As if we saved up our worst performance for a long long time for our biggest night in years. Madness. That penalty miss feels absolutely pivotal.;
![Luiz's second-half spot-kick struck the post before dribbling out of play at Villa Park](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/03/00/84396847-13377805-image-a-39_1714692968510.jpg)
Luiz’s second-half spot-kick struck the post before dribbling out of play at Villa Park
![Fans compared Luiz's horrendous effort to former Italy player Simone Zaza who missed against Germany in Euro 2016](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/03/00/84396907-13377805-image-a-40_1714692999822.jpg)
Fans compared Luiz’s horrendous effort to former Italy player Simone Zaza who missed against Germany in Euro 2016
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/03/00/84397033-13377805-image-a-41_1714693377334.jpg)
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/03/00/84397037-13377805-image-a-42_1714693380182.jpg)
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/03/00/84397045-13377805-image-a-43_1714693382629.jpg)
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/03/00/84397035-13377805-image-a-44_1714693384766.jpg)
Another similarly added: ‘One of the worst penalties you’ll ever see from Douglas Luiz, who’s had a dreadful game for Aston Villa.’
A third comment similarly read: ‘Douglas Luiz with one of the worst penalty kicks.’
Others compared Luiz’s tip-toe run-up to the infamous approach of former Italy national Simone Zaza who blasted his penalty over the bar in the Euro 2016 clash against Germany.
‘What a penalty from Douglas Luiz. Reminiscent of the great Zaza,’ said another comical post on social media.