Aston Villa delivered a commanding performance at Villa Park, beating Bologna 4‑0 to complete a 7‑1 aggregate triumph in the Europa League quarter‑final and earn a place in the semi‑final against Nottingham Forest. The win was highlighted by Ollie Watkins' 100th goal for the club, a milestone he reached after a well‑executed team move early in the match.
Although Morgan Rogers missed a penalty, Emiliano Buendía quickly restored the lead, scoring just 46 seconds after the spot‑kick, and Rogers later redeemed himself before the interval. Rogers' contribution was especially significant.
The penalty miss could have been a setback, but his subsequent goal ended a personal drought of twelve games without finding the net for both club and country. The confidence boost was palpable, and the second half unfolded as a near‑routine procession for Villa, capped by a late strike from defender Ezri Konsa.
The line‑up that night reflected Unai Emery’s confidence in the squad that had secured the first‑leg victory in Italy. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez started, flanked by the defensive trio of Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings, while the full‑backs Lucy Pau and Lucas Digne provided width. In midfield, Youri Tielemans and André‑Onana orchestrated play, with Conor McGinn supporting the attack alongside Morgan Rogers, Emiliano Buendía and Ollie Watkins.
The substitutes included Tammy Abraham, Jacob Bailey, Jaden Sancho, Douglas Luiz and Fikayo Bogarde. Bologna fielded a side featuring goalkeeper Francesco Ravaglia, defenders João Mário, Vitik Freuler, Daniele Casale and Fabio Miranda, with midfielders Lewis Ferguson, Marco Moro and Jonathan Rowe, and forwards Federico Bernardeschi, Marco Rowe and João Castro. The match official awarded the player‑of‑the‑match award to Ollie Watkins.
Emirates’ manager, a veteran of European competition, praised his side for their dominant display, noting that Villa had imposed their game plan from the first whistle and left the Italians with little chance to recover. The victory reinforced Villa’s status as favourites to progress to the final, especially after they have already created a seven‑point cushion over sixth‑placed Chelsea in the Premier League, making a Champions League berth through league position highly probable.
Nevertheless, Emery remains keen to add a fifth Europa League crown to his résumé. The return of Martínez to the starting XI underscored Emery’s desire for continuity, mirroring the successful formation that had outclassed Bologna in the first leg. Bologna’s squad featured Scotland’s Lewis Ferguson and England U21 international Jonathan Rowe, but they were unable to match Villa’s intensity. Watkins, who has struggled for consistency this season, silenced critics who argued that Tammy Abraham should have been the preferred striker.
Abraham, who fell out of favour under Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea, had previously shown his quality with a brace in the first‑leg win. However, Watkins responded emphatically, netting his 100th club goal and adding another to bring his tally to four goals in four Europa League matches – a clear resurgence in form. The semi‑final matchup sets up the first all‑English encounter in a European competition since Arsenal faced Manchester United in the 2009 UEFA Cup, and the first all‑English tie for this particular trophy since Liverpool’s clash with Tottenham in 1973. The first leg will be played on 30 April at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground, with the return leg scheduled for 7 May at Villa Park.
Speaking to TNT Sports after the match, Watkins reflected on his milestone: "Reaching 100 goals for Aston Villa is a dream for any striker. My next target is 100 Premier League goals, and I’m focused on that.
It’s an exciting period for me and the club – we’re all fit, playing our best football, and we have everything to play for. If anyone told me we’d be fighting for a Champions League spot and a European semi‑final, I’d have laughed, but here we are!" Watkins joins an elite group of Premier League players to have reached 100 goals in all competitions since debuting for Villa, alongside Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland. He also overtook club legends Peter Withe and John McGinn to become Villa’s all‑time leading scorer in major European tournaments, with ten goals to his name.
When asked about the possibility of an England recall, Watkins was blunt: "Just keep scoring. That’s all I can do. I was disappointed not to be in the last squad, but I understand the reasons. I’ll let my performances speak for themselves." Captain John McGinn echoed the sentiment of the squad: "It was a brilliant performance.
Getting that early lead and a strong first half set us up perfectly for the semi‑final. We have a big game ahead on Sunday and our aim remains a top‑five finish, but we’re thrilled to be in the last four." Emir Emery, addressing the press, highlighted the significance of the upcoming tie: "Both clubs have a proud European heritage – Forest have won the European Cup twice, and Villa have lifted this competition before. Reaching the semi‑final is a massive achievement for us and for the fans.
It promises an exciting showdown, and we’ll be aiming for the final." Bologna’s head coach Vincenzo Italiano admitted the difficulty of the encounter: "We made a mistake in the first leg, losing 3‑1, and today we tried to play our own game but they took advantage of every opportunity. They were stronger, one step ahead, and punished any errors. It’s tough to lose to a team that missed out on the Champions League by a single goal, but they deserved the win." The victory propels Aston Villa into a high‑stakes semi‑final, where a win would guarantee a place in the Europa League final and keep their European ambitions alive alongside a strong domestic campaign.
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