Bologna – Aston Villa

In the first meeting between the teams, they will score at least two goals.

Bologna faces the risk of missing continental tournaments next season due to a fragile position in Serie A. However the club is fighting so hard in the current Europa League campaign that its further progression cannot be ruled out. Because in the quarterfinals the Italians were drawn against the tournament favorite, bookmakers consider them only the sixth favorites to win the trophy. At the same time Bologna in the previous round had already knocked out one of the favorites. In the overall standings the team finished tenth, which meant they had to participate in the playoff qualifying round. Two 1-0 wins over Norwegian Brann allowed Bologna to reach the Round of 16 against fellow Romans Roma. The clash between the teams became one of the most dramatic in the previous stage and led to the underdog's victory thanks to the decisive goal in the second extra time of the return leg. Aston Villa are led by Unai Emery. This is worth mentioning whenever discussing a match of the Birmingham club on the European stage. The Spanish coach is a recognized specialist in Europa League successes. Aston Villa at the current stage of the season is fighting on two fronts. Alongside the European fixtures, the Villans are also pursuing a top four finish in the English Premier League to guarantee a place in the next Champions League. The same right could come from winning the Europa League, so there is no reason to doubt Emery's team's mindset for the upcoming fixture. Bookmakers have made the guests the favorites for the upcoming match, offering odds of 2.37 for their victory. Bologna and Aston Villa have played each other in the group stages of the Champions League and Europa League in 2024 and 2025 respectively. Both matches were played in Birmingham and resulted in clean sheet wins for the home side — 2-0 and 1-0. Interestingly, in the first matchday of the current Europa League group stage Bologna managed seven shots on target at Villa's goal, but did not gain a tangible advantage from it. Considering the head-to-head results, Bologna's coaching staff should be clear that in Birmingham next week they must go there with a lead. To achieve this Bologna will attack with emphasis, which should lead to at least two goals.