After seventeen days, Aston Villa are finally back in action. This evening, they take on Bologna in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final, hoping to continue their quest for silverware.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the clash
It is the third meeting between the two sides in two seasons, having faced each other in the Champions League two years ago and the opening match of the current 2025/26 Europa League league phase. Villa came out on top on both occasions, and are now seeking their eighth straight win in UEFA’s second-tier tournament.
Bologna have also been in fine form in Europe. They are unbeaten in their last eleven matches in the competition and come into the game off the back of a 3-4 victory over fellow Italians Roma. However, their home record recently hasn’t been as good, as they are without a win in their last three home games.
| Teams | Bologna vs Aston Villa |
| Date | Thursday 9th April |
| Kick Off | 20:00 UK time |
| Stadium | Stadio Renato Dall’Ara |
| Watch Live (UK) | TNT Sports 2, HBO Max |
Recent form
Bologna’s last five results:
| Date | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 05/04/26 | Cremonese 1-2 Bologna | Serie A |
| 22/03/26 | Bologna 0-2 Lazio | Serie A |
| 19/03/26 | Roma 3-4 Bologna | Europa League RO16 second leg |
| 15/03/26 | Sassuolo 0-1 Bologna | Serie A |
| 12/03/26 | Bologna 1-1 Roma | Europa League RO16 first leg |
Villa’s last five results:
| Date | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 22/03/26 | Aston Villa 2-0 West Ham | Premier League |
| 19/03/26 | Aston Villa 2-0 Lille | Europa League RO16 second leg |
| 15/03/26 | Manchester United 3-1 Aston Villa | Premier League |
| 12/03/26 | Lille 0-1 Aston Villa | Europa League RO16 first leg |
| 04/03/26 | Aston Villa 1-4 Chelsea | Premier League |
Team news
Bologna:
- Lukasz Skorupski, Charalambos Lykogiannis, Benja Domínguez and Thijs Dallinga are all injured
- Martin Vitík is suspended
Aston Villa:
- Jadon Sancho and Boubacar Kamara are both ruled out
- Ross Barkley and Alysson are not in Europa League squad
Predicted lineups
Bologna: Ravaglia, Mário, Heggem, Lucumí, Miranda, Freuler, Moro, Orsolini, Ferguson, Rowe, Castro
Aston Villa: Martínez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Onana, Tielemans, McGinn, Rogers, Buendía, Watkins
What the managers say
Speaking on Wednesday night, Emery spoke about his his players having a responsibility to compete for silverware.
“Aston Villa has a massive history in a lot of things, and one remarkable moment was when Aston Villa won the European Cup. It’s something that makes us feel responsible, that we’re at a club that was successful in Europe.
“Each moment is a different challenge. Everything we did before is done and to do it again is the challenge we have.
“Every day, with the players and with Villa, is about building something for the history of the club. To win in Europe is very, very difficult.”
Bologna’s manager Vincenzo Italiano also spoke last night, discussing his team’s recent home form.
“This seasom, unfortunately, is going this way: the trend of failing to win at home and struggling at home. It has been consistent. At times, we have also shown that we have done well, like the game against Udinese or he first leg against Roma.
“We haven’t been consistent here, but we know tomorrow we will have a big crowd, and I hope that they will help us to win.
“We get here with a lot of enthusiasm. We are preparing the match in the right way. We start this tough streak of games in the best way, with a win.”
