Key events
Federico Bernardeschi has just a couple of goals in Serie A for Bologna this season – but he’s their leading man in the Europa League, with five this campaign. He scored in both legs of their last-16 triumph against Roma.
Antony T writes in. The references are, I’m afraid, lost on me.
I’m liking the omens here. Stadio Renato? Well, Renato (RIP), of my local Mere Green Italian restaurant and chart topping Renee and Renato fame, was also a Villa fan!
It’s tenuous, so Save Your Love until after the match.
One for no one under the age of 50 there!
Wave goodbye to the stars.
Another Liverpool great is on the way out.
Youri Tielemans starts for Aston Villa for the first time since January. Jonathan Rowe, who began his career at Norwich, lines up for Bologna. They’re captained by Scotland international Lewis Ferguson.
The teams
Bologna: Ravaglia, João Mário, Heggem, Lucumí, Miranda, Ferguson, Freuler, Pobega, Bernardeschi, Castro, Rowe
Subs: Pessina, Franceschelli, Moro, Orsolini, Casale, Zortea, Odgaard, Sohm, Cambiaghi, Castaldo
Aston Villa: Martínez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne, McGinn, Onana, Tielemans, Buendía, Rogers, Watkins
Subs: Bizot, Wright, Lindelöf, Mings, Elliott, Andrés García, Abraham, Douglas Luiz, Maatsen, Bogarde, Bailey
If you don’t want to hang out here, Will Unwin’s covering Porto against Nottingham Forest.
Quite the line.
The Renato Dall’Ara stadium is a classic example of fascist architecture, marked by the imposing Maratona Tower. Mussolini oversaw the ceremonial opening in 1926; it was his last visit to Bologna, as someone tried to assassinate him in the city later that day.
Preamble
Aston Villa are getting pretty used to European quarter-finals. This is their third on the bounce: they beat Lille in the Conference League two years ago and fell just short against Paris Saint-Germain, the eventual champions, last April in the Champions League. Now it’s time for the Europa, with a visit to Bologna. Unai Emery is in his element.
Yes, this is where the Spaniard really turns it on; he’s won this trophy four times, more than anyone else. Villa have already beaten Bologna this season and Emery has Youri Tielemans back after two months out with an ankle injury. Things have been a little ropey in the league but they’re fourth and in with a serious shot at a first major trophy in 30 years.
But there’s still plenty to do. “Bologna is a winner team, it’s a team that in the last years are playing fantastic and they are winning finals like last year [in the Coppa Italia],” warned Emery yesterday. Vincenzo Italiano, their head coach, reached successive Conference League finals with Fiorentina and – forget Villa’s drought – he ended Bologna’s 51-year trophy wait in 2025. Another party in the Piazza Maggiore is still in reach. The first leg kicks off at 8pm BST.
