Aston Villa return to Champions League action on Tuesday night as they host Bologna at Villa Park, looking to build on their impressive start to their European campaign. The Premier League side have won both of their opening matches, while Bologna have managed just one point so far.
Unai Emery’s men produced one of the shocks of the Champions League season so far when they defeated German giants Bayern Munich 1-0 at Villa Park earlier this month. A moment of magic from substitute Jhon Duran, who lobbed goalkeeper Manuel Neuer with an exquisite finish, gave Villa a famous victory.
That result followed a comfortable 3-0 win away at Young Boys on matchday one, meaning Villa have maximum points and are yet to concede a goal in the competition. Another clean sheet on Tuesday would see them become just the third team to win their opening three Champions League games without conceding, after Malaga in 2012 and Leicester City in 2016.
A win for Villa would also represent a significant personal achievement for manager Unai Emery. It would be his 25th victory in the Champions League, making him only the fifth Spanish coach to reach that landmark after Pep Guardiola, Rafa Benitez, Vicente del Bosque, and Luis Enrique.
The former Arsenal and Villarreal boss has worked wonders since taking over at Villa Park, guiding them to European qualification last season and maintaining their strong form this term. Saturday’s 2-1 comeback win at Fulham extended their unbeaten run to nine games in all competitions.
In stark contrast to their hosts, Bologna arrive in Birmingham in the midst of a difficult run of form. New coach Vincenzo Italiano has won just one of his first 10 matches in charge, with the Rossoblu sitting 13th in Serie A.
Their Champions League campaign has brought little joy so far, with a goalless draw at home to Shakhtar Donetsk followed by a 2-0 defeat at Liverpool. Bologna are in danger of becoming the first team since Austria Vienna in 2013 to fail to score in any of their opening three Champions League fixtures.
The Italian side have developed an unwanted habit of drawing matches this season. Their 2-2 draw at Genoa on Saturday was their seventh stalemate already, the most of any team across Europe’s top five leagues in 2024.
Team News
Aston Villa have been boosted by the return of several key players from injury in recent weeks. Captain John McGinn made his comeback from a hamstring problem as a substitute at the weekend, while Boubacar Kamara and Tyrone Mings are both available again after long-term knee injuries.
Unai Emery may rotate his squad but top scorer Ollie Watkins is likely to lead the line, supported by in-form forward Morgan Rogers. The young Englishman has completed more dribbles than any other player in the Champions League this season.
Bologna have injury concerns of their own, with Dan Ndoye, Michel Aebischer, Samuel Iling-Junior, and Martin Erlic all doubtful. Captain Riccardo Orsolini could start on the right wing after scoring in the draw with Genoa.
Expected Starting XIs
Aston Villa: Martinez; Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Digne; Onana, Tielemans; McGinn, Rogers, Ramsey; Watkins
Bologna: Skorupski; Posch, Beukema, Lucumi, Miranda; Freuler, Moro; Orsolini, Fabbian, Karlsson; Castro
Match Prediction
While Aston Villa have been in sparkling form, Bologna’s defensive approach could make this a tighter affair than the hosts’ recent matches. The Italians have struggled for goals but Villa have shown some defensive vulnerabilities at times this season.
However, Emery’s side should have too much quality for their struggling opponents. A narrow 1-0 home win seems the most likely outcome as Villa aim to take control of their Champions League group.
Prediction: Aston Villa 1-0 Bologna
