Match Preview for Aston Villa v Bologna
Match preview for Aston Villa v Bologna
Aston Villa and Bologna will lock horns on Thursday evening at Villa Park as each side start their Europa League group stage campaigns.
That is the second successive season the 2 golf equipment have met in Birmingham. Villa got here out on prime final 12 months within the Champions League, successful 2-0, however the Premier League aspect head into the rematch in poor kind.
Villa have endured a nightmare begin to their home season, nonetheless looking for their first league victory after 5 makes an attempt. Their solely aim up to now got here in final weekend’s 1-1 draw towards 10-man Sunderland, when Matty Money’s strike was deflected in.
Unai Emery’s males have been additionally eradicated from the EFL Cup on penalties by Brentford and at the moment sit nineteenth within the Premier League.
After their Champions League quarter-final run final season, this dip has been a bitter capsule to swallow.
Now returning to the Europa League for the primary time since 2008, Villa will look to revive their season in Europe.
With Emery’s document of 4 Europa League titles, their supervisor is aware of precisely navigate this competitors, however his squad should discover rhythm rapidly if they’re to progress.
Bologna arrive in England searching for revenge after final 12 months’s defeat at Villa Park. The Serie A aspect had a short style of the Champions League final season, although they completed twenty eighth within the league section. Nonetheless, they’ve secured back-to-back European {qualifications} for the primary time in a long time, thanks largely to successful the Coppa Italia in Might.
That 1-0 overcome AC Milan introduced silverware to the Rossoblu for the primary time in years, however Vincenzo Italiano’s males have began this season inconsistently, successful each of their dwelling matches whereas shedding their two away fixtures.
Italiano, a two-time Convention League finalist with Fiorentina, has proven he is aware of information groups deep into knockout tournaments – although he now faces the final word cup specialist in Emery.
Crew information for Aston Villa v Bologna
Villa will probably shuffle their lineup after Emery branded their show towards Sunderland “lazy.” Amadou Onana and Youri Tielemans are nonetheless sidelined via damage, Ross Barkley is ineligible, and Boubacar Kamara has solely simply returned to health.
In assault, new loanees Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho might be handed beginning alternatives, whereas Donyell Malen is pushing to switch Ollie Watkins, who has struggled in entrance of aim.
Bologna, who solely discovered the web as soon as of their opening three Serie A fixtures earlier than hitting two late objectives towards Genoa final weekend, will hope their forwards can step up.
Santiago Castro is near full health and has a aim and help in his final two appearances, whereas Thijs Dallinga supplies an alternative choice alongside Riccardo Orsolini, who netted a stoppage-time penalty on Saturday.
Italiano should contend with out Nicolo Casale, Tommaso Pobega, Ibrahim Sulemana and Ciro Motionless, all out injured, whereas Lorenzo De Silvestri was not included in Bologna’s UEFA squad record.
Anticipated line-ups for Aston Villa v Bologna
Aston Villa: Martinez; Money, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen; Bogarde, McGinn; Elliott, Rogers, Sancho; Watkins
Bologna: Skorupski; Zortea, Vitik, Lucumi, Miranda; Freuler, Ferguson; Orsolini, Odgaard, Rowe; Castro
Find out how to watch Aston Villa v Bologna: TV channel, on-line stream
Thursday evening’s conflict between Aston Villa and Bologna will probably be proven stay in the UK on TNT Sports activities, with protection out there each on tv and by way of streaming via the Discovery+ app and web site. Kick-off at Villa Park is scheduled for 8:00pm BST.
The stats for Aston Villa v Bologna
- Villa are winless of their final six matches in all competitions
- Emery has lifted the Europa League trophy 4 instances, greater than every other supervisor
- Bologna’s final European quarter-final look got here in 1999
- The Rossoblu have by no means crushed an English membership in a aggressive UEFA fixture
- Villa received final season’s assembly at Villa Park 2-0 because of objectives from John McGinn and Jhon Duran
- Bologna’s Coppa Italia triumph in Might was their first main trophy in over 50 years
Prediction
Villa are struggling to attain objectives and lack confidence, and whereas they’ll profit from taking part in at dwelling, Bologna received’t be overawed at Villa Park.
Prediction: Aston Villa 2-1 Bologna
