- Aston Villa 4-0 Bologan FT
- Ollie Watkins (16′), Emi Buendia (26′), Morgan Rogers (39′), Ezri Konsa (90′)
- They will face Nottingham Forest in the semi-finals
Aston Villa made easy work of their second leg of the Europa League quarter-final, beating Bologna 3-0 (6-1 on aggregate). Their first half performance put them in a commanding position, as they breezed through to the semi-finals.
This result makes them the first English side in history to win nine consecutive Europa League games. It is also Unai Emery’s seventh semi-final in the competition, and means he is three matches away from lifting the trophy for the fifth time.
Despite a slow start to the game, due to the referee’s keenness to be involved, Ollie Watkins scored his 100th goal for the club as he was found only a few yards out by Morgan Rogers’ low cross. It was a wonderful swooping move, with Rogers and Buendia linking up nicely to work their way through the Bologna defence.
A penalty was then awarded after a VAR review in the 25th minute, for handball by Vitik. Rogers stepped up, but failed to convert.
However, from the resulting throw, Lucas Digne’s quick thinking found Buendia in some space inside the box, who narrowly slotted the ball at the near post to make it 2-0.
The game only looked like going one way, as Vincenzo Italiano’s side had no answer for Villa’s attack. Rogers finally got his goal in the 39th minute, after John McGinn slipped him in. The 23-year-old drilled a low shot at Ravaglia’s near post, who was unable to stop it to give Villa a commanding three goal lead at the break.
The second half was a walk in the park for Unai Emery’s side, as they controlled the tempo of the match completely. Lucas Digne had the only significant chance when Leon Bailey picked him out, but the Frenchman’s shot was saved.
Bologna tried to probe away at Villa’s defence, but failed to make any inroads.
To cap off a wonderful night for the Villans, in the final action of the match, Douglas Luiz’s corner was swung in and found Ezri Konsa, after Bologna failed to clear. The Englishman neatly swivelled to tuck the ball away, ending the night with a 4-0 victory.
It was an easy performance for Villa, as they cruised to the Europa League semi-finals.
Here are the Read AstonVilla full-time ratings:
Emi Martinez – 7
It was a comfortable night for the Argentinian after his return from injury. He was never really tested and managed to keep a clean sheet.
Matty Cash – 7
Unlike the first leg, Cash wasn’t troubled by the dangerous Jonathan Rowe. He didn’t have much to do both defensively and in attack, making it an easy 90 minutes for the Polish international.
Ezri Konsa – 8
Konsa managed to deal with Santiago Castro well, as no real threat was imposed on Villa’s defence. The centre-back managed to get on the scoresheet for the second time in a week, as his striker’s finish gave his team a fourth.
Pau Torres – 7
The Spaniard did his job well, as he mopped up when needed, and was, as usual, comfortable on the ball. It was another strong showing, as he cements himself alongside Konsa at the heart of defence.
Lucas Digne – 8
Defensively, Digne didn’t need to do much; however, his quick-thinking from a throw led to Buendia’s goal. The Frenchman now seems to have pipped Ian Maatsen to the starting left-back position.
Youri Tielemans and Amadou Onana – 7
The Belgian duo made it look easy in the middle of the park tonight. Bologna weren’t able to break them down, and they hardly had to break a sweat, given the tie was over by half-time.
John McGinn – 7
Solid display, got an assist, didn’t have to throw himself around as he usually does, and 60 minutes under his belt. There was not much more he needed to do.
Morgan Rogers – 9
Aside from missing a penalty, Rogers had a good game. A goal and an assist added to his tally, which will hopefully give him some confidence going forward. He was taken off in the 74th minute to warm applause as he took Villa into the semi-finals.
Emi Buendia – 8
Buendia scored his eighth goal of the campaign across all competitions. His low driven shot found the near corner to double Villa’s lead. He was able to roam freely off the left, and linked up nicely with Rogers for the opener.
Ollie Watkins – 8
It was 60 minutes in the tank for the English striker, as he continued his good form. He was on the end of a Rogers cross to net his 100th goal for the club, marking him as the all-time leading scorer for Villa in European competitions. As with the rest of his team, it was easy going.
Substitutes:
Leon Bailey and Tammy Abraham (64′) – 6
As the game was already wrapped up by the time they both came on, neither needed to make an impact. The tempo of the match slowed right down, and it was more about resting some key players rather than seeing if the pair of them could impress.
Jadon Sancho, Douglas Luiz (75′) and Lamare Bogard (79′) – N/A
This wasn’t just a win it was a statement of intent. Unai Emery sidedidn’t just walk through the door to the semi-finals they kicked it down. By dismantling Bologna with such ruthless efficiency, the Villans have proved that they aren’t just participants in this competition; they are the benchmark.
With Ollie Watkins rewriting the history books and Morgan Rogers looking every bit the superstar his price tag suggests, Unai Emery has his squad peaking at the perfect moment.
The 7-1 aggregate scoreline reflects a gap in class that should strike fear into the rest.
The stage is now set for a historic all-English showdown against Nottingham Forest. While the Premier League battles provide the weekly bread and butter, the lights of the Europa League are bringing out a different beast in this Villa side. With the “Master of Europe” at the helm and a squad firing on all cylinders, the road to Istanbul looks clearer than ever.
