- Ollie Watkins’ brace puts Villa in a strong position heading into the second leg of the Europa League quarter-final
- Goals in the 44th, 51st and 94th minute were enough to defeat Bologna
- The second leg takes place next Thursday at Villa Park
Aston Villa take a commanding two-goal lead back to Villa Park after a clinical performance at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara winning 3-1 against Bologna. Despite heavy pressure from the hosts, Unai Emery’s side secured their eighth consecutive Europa League win.
It was a quiet start to the game as the early exchanges were defined by both midfields assessing the tactical shape of the opposition. Villa were happy to concede possession, and made their game plan clear from the off. Invite pressure when taking short goal kicks and then look to go long.
Bologna posed a real threat on the left-hand side, with the Englishman Jonathan Rowe the primary creative outlet. After a disallowed goal in the 26th minute, the Italian side looked the most likely to score the opener.
But it was Villa who took the lead just before halftime. A mistake by goalkeeper Ravaglia at a corner allowed Ezri Konsa to head home. Unai Emery would have been feeling quite lucky to be winning at the break.
In the opening minutes of the second half, another error by Bologna cost them a second. A misplaced pass at the back was blocked by Buendia, and the ball fell to Watkins. The striker drove forwards, and slotted the ball through the keeper’s legs.
The second goal sucked the life out of the atmosphere and Vincenzo Italiano’s side. Rhythm started to flow in Villa, and they looked likely to score another. A few outside chances followed, but they were unable to take them.
Rowe finally got on the scoresheet in the 90th minute, which was nothing he didn’t deserve. He made it a nervy end to the game.
However, in the final kick of the match, a corner swung in by Tielemans found Watkins completely unmarked, who tucked it away. It was the perfect result to take into the second leg next week, and Emery will be pleased with the performance.
Here are five things we learnt:
1. Villa’s European experience is beginning to show
It wasn’t the prettiest display by Villa, but they got the job done. Their experience in previous away European fixtures helped them get over the line.
They had to absorb the pressure from Bologna, but nobody seemed to panic or look flustered. All in all it was a rather measured approach, but they still have work to do from open play in the final third.
2. Unai Emery is a tactical genius
Emery’s pedigree in the Europa League gives him the knowledge to become a tactical mastermind. It was a typical “Emery” performance for an away match in Europe.
The setup ensured Villa were defensively solid first, before trying to make inroads in attack. Positionally, the Villans were superb. Out of possession, they sat in a 5-3-2 formation, with McGinn dropping into right-back to cover the left-back Miranda, who was effectively playing as another winger.
When on the ball in midfield they looked to hit Bologna fast on the transition, and tried to play Watkins into space. Most of the time, he was in a 1v1 with Heggem, which was really their only outlet.
Overall, the Spaniard’s system was exactly what they needed to win at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara.
3. Ollie Watkins can still be one of the best strikers in Europe
When he is on form, Watkins is one of the hardest strikers to play against in the world. After his first goal, you could see his confidence increase, and he was easily the best Villa player on the pitch.
The 30-year-old’s strength to hold up the ball was amazing, and his work-rate allowed his team to get up the field and create some chances.
If his brace can be the start of a fantastic run of games, then he could be the difference in securing Champions League qualification and potentially a World Cup call for the Three Lions.
4. Morgan Rogers needs to step up
Morgan Rogers recent dip in form reached a worrying milestone against Bologna, marking his tenth consecutive game without a goal or an assist. For a player who has spent the season as Unai Emery’s primary creative spark, this performance was a particularly poor showing.
The England international appeared uncharacteristically loose in possession and lacked his usual impact. More concerning, however, was a perceived shift in body language the No. 27 seemed easily frustrated, lacking the attitude that defined his explosive start to the 2025/26 campaign.
This slump raises an uncomfortable question: Is the mounting transfer speculation finally taking its toll? With heavyweights like Manchester United, Arsenal, and Chelsea reportedly circling for a summer move and price tags in excess of £80 million being touted it would be no surprise if the noise is becoming a distraction.
Villa desperately need Rogers to rediscover his best self for these crucial final months. He is their star man, and while he’ll be the first to admit his recent outings haven’t been good enough, he must now block out the rumours and return to the form that earned him his England stripes.
If Villa are to secure their goals this season, they need their talisman focused on the pitch, not the summer window.
5. Jonathan Rowe should be on Villa’s list of targets for the summer
Whilst Watkins will take the headlines, Rowe was probably the standout player. For the full 90 minutes, the left winger looked extremely threatening. A goal was only going to come from his side, and it certainly was special.
At 22, he has a lot of potential, and tonight’s performance showed he can compete at a high level already. It’s likely a host of clubs will be interested in him in the summer, and Villa should be at the front of the queue.
