Aston Villa secured a convincing 4-0 victory over Bologna at Villa Park, completing a 7-1 aggregate win in their Europa League quarter-final and setting up a semi-final clash against Nottingham Forest. Ollie Watkins opened the scoring with his 100th Aston Villa goal, finishing off a well-executed team move. Despite Morgan Rogers having a penalty saved, Emiliano Buendia added a second goal just 46 seconds later, and Rogers made amends before the break. The win marked a significant confidence boost for the team, with Ezri Konsa sealing the victory with a late goal.
Aston Villa's starting lineup featured Emi Martinez, who returned after being rested, and the team's performance was closer to their best, overwhelming the Italian opposition from the start. With a seven-point lead over sixth-placed Chelsea in the Premier League, Champions League qualification seems likely, but Unai Emery is focused on winning the Europa League for the fifth time.
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 scoring 100 Premier League goals. The first leg of the semi-final will take place on April 30 at the City Ground, with the return leg at Villa Park on May 7.