Bologna vs Aston Villa, 2025-26 UEFA Europa League, Quarterfinals

· 1st Leg

Bologna

90': Jon Rowe

FT
1 - 3
1st Leg

Aston Villa

44': Ezri Konsa
51': Ollie Watkins
90'+4': Ollie Watkins

Aston Villa in control after Watkins brace against Bologna

Ollie Watkins' second-half brace helped give Aston Villa a comfortable 3-1 lead over Bologna heading into next week's Europa League quarterfinal second leg at Villa Park.

Match Timeline

0': Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
0': First Half begins.
2': Lewis Ferguson (Bologna) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
2': Foul by Lucas Digne (Aston Villa).
3': Jonathan Rowe (Bologna) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
3': Foul by Matty Cash (Aston Villa).
4': Offside, Bologna. Santiago Castro is caught offside.
5': Amadou Onana (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
5': Foul by Tommaso Pobega (Bologna).
7': Foul by Lewis Ferguson (Bologna).
7': Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
11': Foul by Juan Miranda (Bologna).
11': John McGinn (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
14': Foul by Jhon Lucumí (Bologna).
14': Emiliano Buendía (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
14': Jhon Lucumí (Bologna) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
16': Delay in match because of an injury Santiago Castro (Bologna).
16': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
17': Federico Bernardeschi (Bologna) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
17': Foul by Lucas Digne (Aston Villa).
18': Offside, Bologna. João Mário is caught offside.
21': Attempt blocked. Santiago Castro (Bologna) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Juan Miranda.
21': Attempt blocked. Tommaso Pobega (Bologna) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
21': Attempt saved. Juan Miranda (Bologna) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top left corner by Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa). Assisted by Federico Bernardeschi with a cross.
21': Corner, Bologna. Conceded by Emiliano Martínez.
23': Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
23': Foul by Tommaso Pobega (Bologna).
25': João Mário (Bologna) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
25': Foul by Emiliano Buendía (Aston Villa).
26': Offside, Bologna. Santiago Castro is caught offside.
26': Own Goal by Ezri Konsa, Aston Villa. Bologna 0, Aston Villa 0.
28': VAR Decision: No Goal Bologna 0-0 Aston Villa.
28': Foul by Tommaso Pobega (Bologna).
28': Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
29': Lewis Ferguson (Bologna) hits the bar with a right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box. Assisted by Jonathan Rowe.
30': Lucas Digne (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
30': Foul by Federico Bernardeschi (Bologna).
31': Offside, Bologna. Santiago Castro is caught offside.
32': Offside, Bologna. Santiago Castro is caught offside.
33': Foul by Pau Torres (Aston Villa).
33': Santiago Castro (Bologna) wins a free kick on the left wing.
35': Foul by Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa).
35': Torbjørn Heggem (Bologna) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
38': Attempt missed. John McGinn (Aston Villa) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Morgan Rogers.
38': Foul by Santiago Castro (Bologna).
38': Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
39': Offside, Aston Villa. Ollie Watkins is caught offside.
42': Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Juan Miranda.
43': Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Jhon Lucumí.
44': Goal! Bologna 0, Aston Villa 1. Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa) header from the right side of the six yard box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Youri Tielemans with a cross following a corner.
45'+1': Attempt blocked. Jonathan Rowe (Bologna) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Tommaso Pobega.
45'+1': Fourth official has announced 2 minutes of added time.
45'+2': Foul by Amadou Onana (Aston Villa).
45'+2': Tommaso Pobega (Bologna) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
45'+2': João Mário (Bologna) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
45'+2': Foul by Emiliano Buendía (Aston Villa).
45'+2': Corner, Bologna. Conceded by Pau Torres.
45'+3': First Half ends, Bologna 0, Aston Villa 1.
45': Second Half begins Bologna 0, Aston Villa 1.
47': Delay in match because of an injury Jonathan Rowe (Bologna).
47': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
48': Attempt missed. Tommaso Pobega (Bologna) left footed shot from the left side of the box is too high. Assisted by Jonathan Rowe following a fast break.
50': Foul by Matty Cash (Aston Villa).
50': Jonathan Rowe (Bologna) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
51': Goal! Bologna 0, Aston Villa 2. Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Emiliano Buendía.
54': John McGinn (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
54': Foul by Juan Miranda (Bologna).
55': Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
55': Foul by Remo Freuler (Bologna).
56': Attempt missed. Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Ollie Watkins following a fast break.
58': Emiliano Buendía (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
58': Foul by Remo Freuler (Bologna).
60': Torbjørn Heggem (Bologna) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
60': Foul by Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).
60': João Mário (Bologna) wins a free kick on the right wing.
60': Foul by Lucas Digne (Aston Villa).
62': Attempt missed. Jonathan Rowe (Bologna) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Juan Miranda.
64': Attempt blocked. Santiago Castro (Bologna) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Tommaso Pobega.
65': Foul by Tommaso Pobega (Bologna).
65': Emiliano Buendía (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
65': Tommaso Pobega (Bologna) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
67': Foul by Jonathan Rowe (Bologna).
67': Matty Cash (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
67': Substitution, Bologna. Nikola Moro replaces Tommaso Pobega.
67': Substitution, Bologna. Riccardo Orsolini replaces Lewis Ferguson.
69': Attempt missed. Emiliano Buendía (Aston Villa) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Youri Tielemans.
70': Foul by Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa).
70': Jhon Lucumí (Bologna) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
70': Foul by Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa).
70': Santiago Castro (Bologna) wins a free kick on the right wing.
71': Attempt missed. Jonathan Rowe (Bologna) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Nikola Moro.
72': Attempt missed. Emiliano Buendía (Aston Villa) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Ollie Watkins.
72': Emiliano Buendía (Aston Villa) wins a free kick on the left wing.
72': Foul by João Mário (Bologna).
74': Foul by Remo Freuler (Bologna).
74': John McGinn (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
75': Attempt blocked. Santiago Castro (Bologna) right footed shot from long range on the right is blocked.
76': Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
76': Foul by Jhon Lucumí (Bologna).
77': Foul by Torbjørn Heggem (Bologna).
77': Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
77': Attempt saved. Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner by Federico Ravaglia (Bologna). Assisted by Emiliano Buendía.
78': Federico Bernardeschi (Bologna) hits the left post with a left footed shot from the left side of the box.
79': Attempt blocked. Santiago Castro (Bologna) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Federico Bernardeschi with a headed pass.
79': Attempt blocked. Federico Bernardeschi (Bologna) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Santiago Castro.
79': Offside, Bologna. Riccardo Orsolini is caught offside.
80': Substitution, Aston Villa. Lamare Bogarde replaces Amadou Onana.
81': Attempt saved. Jonathan Rowe (Bologna) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner by Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa). Assisted by Riccardo Orsolini.
81': Corner, Bologna. Conceded by Emiliano Martínez.
82': Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
82': Foul by Santiago Castro (Bologna).
82': Substitution, Bologna. Jens Odgaard replaces Santiago Castro.
83': Foul by Torbjørn Heggem (Bologna).
83': Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
84': Attempt blocked. João Mário (Bologna) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Riccardo Orsolini.
84': Attempt saved. Juan Miranda (Bologna) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal by Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa). Assisted by Torbjørn Heggem.
85': Foul by Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa).
85': Jhon Lucumí (Bologna) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
85': Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
86': Corner, Bologna. Conceded by John McGinn.
86': Attempt blocked. Jonathan Rowe (Bologna) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Juan Miranda.
88': Substitution, Aston Villa. Ian Maatsen replaces Morgan Rogers.
88': Substitution, Aston Villa. Leon Bailey replaces Emiliano Buendía.
90': Goal! Bologna 1, Aston Villa 2. Jonathan Rowe (Bologna) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Jhon Lucumí.
90': Substitution, Bologna. Nicolò Cambiaghi replaces Remo Freuler.
90': Fourth official has announced 3 minutes of added time.
90'+1': Foul by Lucas Digne (Aston Villa).
90'+1': Riccardo Orsolini (Bologna) wins a free kick on the right wing.
90'+2': Attempt blocked. Federico Bernardeschi (Bologna) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Nikola Moro.
90'+2': Offside, Bologna. Nicolò Cambiaghi is caught offside.
90'+3': Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Nicolò Cambiaghi.
90'+4': Goal! Bologna 1, Aston Villa 3. Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) left footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Youri Tielemans with a cross following a corner.
90'+5': Second Half ends, Bologna 1, Aston Villa 3.
0': Match ends, Bologna 1, Aston Villa 3.

Statistics

AVL		BOL
15	Fouls	19
1	Yellow Cards	2
0	Red Cards	0
1	Offsides	7
3	Corner Kicks	4
3	Saves	1
42	Possession	58
8	SHOTS	19
4	ON GOAL	4
0.5	On Target %	0.2
0	Penalty Goals	0
0	Penalty Kicks Taken	0
286	Accurate Passes	439
359	Passes	489
0.8	Pass Completion %	0.9
4	Accurate Crosses	3
5	Crosses	14
0.8	Cross %	0.2
46	Long Balls	37
12	Accurate Long Balls	22
0.3	Long Balls %	0.6
0	Blocked Shots	10
8	Effective Tackles	7
13	Tackles	11
0.6	Tackle %	0.6
3	Interceptions	8
16	Effective Clearances	12
16	Clearances	12

Game Information

Competition: UEFA Europa League

Venue: Renato Dall'Ara
Location: Bologna, Italy
Attendance: 31,142

Line-Ups

Bologna (4-3-3)

No.	Name
13	Federico Ravaglia (GK)
26	Jhon Lucumí
14	Torbjorn Heggem
33	Juan Miranda
17	João Mário
8	Remo Freuler
4	Tommaso Pobega
19	Lewis Ferguson
9	Santiago Castro
11	Jon Rowe
10	Federico Bernardeschi

Bologna Substitutes:

Nadir Zortea, Simon Sohm, Nikola Moro, Matteo Franceschelli, Nicolò Cambiaghi, Jens Odgaard, Francesco Castaldo, Massimo Pessina, Nicolo Casale, Riccardo Orsolini.

Aston Villa (4-2-3-1)

No.	Name
23	Emiliano Martínez (GK)
14	Pau Torres
4	Ezri Konsa
12	Lucas Digne
2	Matty Cash
27	Morgan Rogers
8	Youri Tielemans
24	Amadou Onana
11	Ollie Watkins
10	Emiliano Buendía
7	John McGinn

Aston Villa Substitutes:

Andrés García, Tyrone Mings, Marco Bizot, James Wright, Harvey Elliott, Tammy Abraham, Douglas Luiz, Lamare Bogarde, Ian Maatsen, Leon Bailey, Victor Lindelöf.

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