- Aston Villa progressed through to the Europa League semi-finals after beating Bologna 4-0 on Thursday night and 7-1 on aggregate
- Captain John McGinn praised his teammates, labelling their display as a “brilliant performance”
- Nottingham Forest will host them in first leg of the semi-final on April 30th
Aston Villa’s journey to end their 30-year wait for silverware took a massive leap forward on Thursday night, as they hammered Bologna 4-0 at Villa Park.
It’s now their third consecutive season that they have progressed through to the latter stages of a European competition.
Their first half performance was superb, with goals from Ollie Watkins, Emi Buendia and Morgan Rogers giving them a three-goal lead into the break. As the tie was already wrapped up, the second 45 was a walk in the park.
Ezri Konsa capped off a perfect night for the Villans right at the end of the game, when he produced a striker’s finish from a corner to score a fourth. They march on through to the semi-finals, where they will face Nottingham Forest.
McGinn pleased with “brilliant performance”
In a post-match interview with TNT Sports, John McGinn spoke about how crucial the first goal was.
“It was a brilliant performance. We needed to get the first goal; it was very important. They’re a dangerous team away from home. They’ve shown that over the years, and to get that first goal in a great first half gets us into a semi-final. I’m delighted.
“They’re a team that comes and presses you aggressively. Last week, we didn’t pass it forward enough. We passed it forward early and got a great goal.”
The Scot was also asked about Morgan Rogers’ goal, which was his first in twelve matches. Rogers hasn’t been able to make an impact compared to the start of the season and has come under some criticism from supporters, following the growing speculation surrounding his future.
“He’ll be disappointed with his penalty. Sometimes when you’re that age, you’ve got that expectation on you. He’s a big player for Villa and England.
“Sometimes you take small dips in form, but he’s a big player for us. He’s a leader in the group. He showed tonight that he can bounce back from disappointing moments. We’ll need him until the end of the season.”
The defining moment in Villa’s campaign is coming, and they will need players to step up, with Rogers being one of them. Hopefully, his goal and assist will be the start of a purple patch, at the right time for Unai Emery’s side.
The 23-year-old has the ability to turn games on their heads. When he looks confident and sharp, Villa looks like a really dangerous team, so everyone at the club will be hoping he can take them on their way to the Champions League.
