Villa Thrash Bologna on Aggregate to Reach UEL Semis

Watkins, Rogers, Buendia, Konsa score in Villa’s Bologna demolition

Aston Villa beat Bologna 4-0 to reach the Europa League semi-finals with a 7-1 aggregate win. Ollie Watkins scored his 100th Villa goal as Unai Emery’s side made it nine straight European home victories.

Aston Villa beat Bologna, nine straight European home wins as Watkins makes history...

Aston Villa booked their place in the UEFA Europa League semi-finals in style, thrashing Bologna 7-1 on aggregate after a 4-0 second-leg win on Thursday. The result made it nine straight home victories for Villa in major European competition.

Bologna needed a miracle at kick-off, but their fast start gave brief hope. Federico Bernardeschi tested a returning Emiliano Martinez early, and Jonathan Rowe looked a constant threat down the left.

Jonathan Rowe was kept quiet by a disciplined Matty Cash, and Villa soon showed their clinical edge to open the scoring.

A slick move through the middle ended with Emiliano Buendia threading a pass to Morgan Rogers on the inside left. He rolled it across for Ollie Watkins to tap home his 100th goal for the club. Watkins also became the first Villa player to score 10 major European goals.

Jonathan Rowe was kept quiet by a disciplined Matty Cash, and Villa soon showed their clinical edge to open the scoring.

A slick move through the middle ended with Emiliano Buendia threading a pass to Morgan Rogers on the inside left. He rolled it across for Ollie Watkins to tap home his 100th goal for the club. Watkins also became the first Villa player to score 10 major European goals.

Rogers curled one toward goal right after the opener, forcing a save from Federico Ravaglia. The Bologna keeper denied Villa again on 25 minutes, diving strongly to his right to stop Watkins’ penalty after Martin Vitik handled Lucas Digne’s cross.

Villa didn’t let up. Straight from a throw-in after that save, Digne launched it in and Buendia killed it on the dead-ball line with brilliant control. He cut inside and fired past the keeper at his near post.

Ravaglia was beaten at his near post again in the 39th minute. A determined Morgan Rogers drilled a shot past him to end a 12-game goal drought for club and country.

That goal killed the tie. Vincenzo Italiano made a triple change at the break to spark his dejected side, but the second half was a cruise for Villa.

Dominant Aston Villa 🤯#UEL pic.twitter.com/s4dMty3gZq

— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) April 16, 2026

Villa rarely pushed forward in the second half but still added a fourth when Ezri Konsa struck a brilliant volley on the turn.

The result made it six straight home clean sheets for Villa against Italian clubs in major European competition. Bologna exit Europe with a sixth straight away defeat to English opposition, three of those coming against Villa.