Aston Villa vs Bologna – Match preview and team news | OneFootball

Aston Villa aim to secure a Europa League semi-final spot as they welcome Bologna to Villa Park.

Unai Emery’s side holds a healthy two-goal cushion after a clinical 3–1 victory in Italy last week. Ollie Watkins netted twice in that encounter to put the Premier League side in a commanding position. Villa are currently unbeaten in 11 European home games. They look to continue their quest for a major continental trophy under their specialist manager.

Bologna face a daunting task to overturn the deficit in Birmingham tonight. The Rossoblu have lost all three previous meetings against the Villans. However, they have won their last five Europa League away fixtures. Vincenzo Italiano’s men require a “minor miracle” to progress to the final four. They must overcome a dismal historical record on English soil to stay in the competition.

Aston Villa vs Bologna – Match preview and team news

Team news

Aston Villa

Emi Martinez is a major doubt after withdrawing just before kick-off on Sunday. Marco Bizot stands ready to deputise in goal if the Argentine fails a fitness test. Tyrone Mings remains a doubt, while Boubacar Kamara and Jadon Sancho are definitely ruled out. Ross Barkley is also unavailable as he is ineligible for the Europa League squad.

Bologna

The visitors welcome back Martin Vitik following his suspension in the first leg. However, Jhon Lucumi will miss out tonight due to a ban. Goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski and Benjamin Dominguez remain sidelined with injuries. Charalampos Lykogiannis and Thijs Dallinga face late fitness assessments before the match.

Form

Aston Villa

Villa approach this fixture after a 1–1 draw with Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. They currently occupy fourth place and remain strong contenders for Champions League qualification. At home, they have won 15 of their last 17 major European matches. The team has averaged two goals per game at Villa Park this season.

Bologna

Bologna responded to their first-leg defeat with a 2–0 win over Lecce last weekend. They sit eighth in Serie A, trailing the European spots by nine points. Despite their aggregate deficit, they have been resilient on the road recently. They aim to become only the third team to win six away games in one season.

Predicted lineups

Aston Villa Predicted XI (4-4-2): Bizot; Cash, Konsa, Pau Torres, Digne; McGinn, Onana, Tielemans, Rogers; Buendía, Watkins

Bologna Predicted XI (4-3-3): Ravaglia; João Mário, Vitík, Heggem, Miranda; Moro, Ferguson, Freuler; Bernardeschi, Castro, Rowe

How to watch Aston Villa vs Bologna?

The match is televised live in the UK on TNT Sports 2. Coverage begins at 19:00 BST.

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