Aston Villa v Bologna: Prediction, team news, line-ups and odds | OneFootball

Perhaps Aston Villa have rather eased up in the Premier League as they know they’ll qualify for next season’s Champions League via another method.

That Plan B is winning the Europa League and the Villans are clear favourites to do so. Of course they are, their manager is Unai Emery who has won this tournament a record four times.

Villa finished second in the 36-team group phase and stayed on course to give Emery a fifth Europa League success by beating Italians Bologna 3-1 in the away leg. It wasn’t as straightforward as it sounds but two goals from Ollie Watkins swung this quarter-final heavily in Villa’s favour.

Aston Villa v Bologna kick-off time

Aston Villa v Bologna kicks off at 8pm BST on Thursday, April 16 at Villa Park.

Aston Villa v Bologna how to watch

The game will be shown live in the UK via TNT Sports 2 and HBO Max. Coverage begins at 7pm.

BBC Radio 5 Live will provide live radio coverage.

Aston Villa team news

Emi Martinez had to withdraw during the warm-up in Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest so Marco Bizot could deputise in goal again.

Ross Barkley isn’t on Villa’s UEFA squad list so can’t feature while Jadon Sancho and Boubacar Kamara are out with injuries.

Tyrone Mings will need to be assessed.

Bologna team news

Czech defender Martin Vitik is available again after being suspended for the first leg but Jhon Lucumi misses out due to a ban.

Bologna also need to juggle in goal with first-choice ‘keeper Lukasz Skorupski missing.

The visitors, who sit eighth in Serie A following a 2-0 home win over third-bottom Lecce at the weekend, will give late fitness tests to Charalampos Lykogiannis and Thijs Dallinga.

Aston Villa v Bologna odds

After establishing a two-goal advantage in the away leg, Aston Villa are now massive 1/100 favourites to go through. Bologna are 16/1 to produce a dramatic turnaround and advance.

For Thursday evening’s meeting in Birmingham, Aston Villa are 4/6 favourites. Bologna are 10/3 to win on the night while the Draw is 16/5.

As for the outright betting, Aston Villa are warm 13/10 favourites to lift the trophy, with Bologna priced at 80/1.

Aston Villa v Bologna prediction

Unai Emery continues to sprinkle magic in this tournament and Villa have won 10 of their 11 matches in this season’s Europa League.

Expect that to become 11 out of 12 on Thursday night even though Bologna may have their moments again.

Villa Park will be familiar turf for Bologna although the memories aren’t good after they lost there 2-0 in last season’s Champions League and 1-0 in the league phase of this competition.

Villa were struggling at the time having failed to win any of their first Premier League matches but it’s a very different story now.

As a precedent, Villa won the away leg against Lille before finishing them off 2-0 at home and I expect something similar although this time Bologna may be able to get on the scoresheet.

They’re the second top scorers on the road in Serie A but concede plenty too.

Back both teams to score at 4/5 and, as the hosts have won 15 of their last 17 home European ties in Europe, also take Villa to win and BTTS at 5/2.