Aston Villa begin their 2025-26 UEFA Europa League campaign with a league phase clash against Bologna.
Villa qualified for this season’s competition via their sixth-placed league finish last season, whilst Bologna qualified as winners of 2024-25 Coppa Italia.
Team News
Villa have no fresh injury concerns to report after their 1-1 draw at Sunderland in Premier League.
Andres Garcia (knock), Ross Barkley (personal), Amadou Onana (hamstring) and Youri Tielemans (calf) remain sidelined.
Bologna will be without Nicolo Casale (hamstring), Tommaso Pobega (muscle), Ibrahim Sulemana (knee) and Ciro Immobile (thigh).
When is Kick-Off?
Villa host Bologna at Villa Park on Thursday 25 September at 9pm CEST (8pm BST), live on TNT Sports 1 in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Villa won 2-0 in their only previous meeting against Bologna which came in October 2024 in the UEFA Champions League.
- Bologna are yet to win away at Villa (L1).
- Villa are unbeaten in their last six home matches in all UEFA competitions (W5, D1).
- Bologna have lost their two away games in all competitions this season by 1-0 results.
Prediction
Although they have scored in each of their last two matches, Villa were frankly lucky to snatch a draw at Sunderland through a lucky deflective opening strike from Matty Cash because they otherwise lacked their usual flair and quality in the final third.]
Bologna meanwhile have goalscoring issues of their own especially with 1-0 defeats in their two away trips this season, which doesn’t make for exciting reading especially with Villa having found their goalscoring boots with one goal in their last two matches.
Unless both teams find an unexpected spark, I don’t expect this to be a classic but Villa might just have enough if can tighten up.
Prediction: Aston Villa 1-0 Bologna
Result: Aston Villa 1-0 Bologna
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