Aston Villa Dominates Bologna, Sets Up Semi-Final Clash with Nottingham Forest in Europe

Aston Villa secured a resounding 4-0 victory over Bologna at Villa Park, completing a 7-1 aggregate win in their Europa League quarter-final. This triumph sets the stage for a semi-final showdown against Nottingham Forest. Ollie Watkins initiated the scoring with his 100th goal for Aston Villa, following an intricate team move. Despite Morgan Rogers having a penalty saved, Emiliano Buendia swiftly added a second goal, and Rogers later made amends before the break, ending his 12-game scoring drought. The second half was a one-sided affair, with Ezri Konsa sealing the win with a late goal. Aston Villa's starting lineup featured Emi Martinez, who returned after a brief absence, while Bologna's team included Scotland's Lewis Ferguson and England U21 international Jonathan Rowe. The semi-final against Nottingham Forest will be the first all-English semi-final in a European competition since 2009. Watkins, who has found his form with four goals in four games, expressed his excitement about reaching the milestone of 100 goals and is now focused on achieving 100 Premier League goals. The first leg of the semi-final is scheduled to take place on April 30 at the City Ground, with the return leg at Villa Park on May 7.