Villa edge Bologna to earn first win of the season
Aston Villa finally got themselves up and running in 2025/26, grinding out a 1-0 win over Bologna at Villa Park to kick off their Europa League campaign, while stretching the Italians’ miserable record against English sides to six games without victory.
Unai Emery has built a reputation as Europe’s knockout master, but goals have been painfully lacking for his side so far this season. You sensed Villa Park was ready to erupt when Evann Guessand burst clear inside the opening 10 minutes, but the forward’s low effort was kept out by the legs of Łukasz Skorupski. Villa kept the pressure on though, and their breakthrough came from a familiar source. Bologna failed to clear a corner, the ball dropped kindly on the edge of the area, and John McGinn rifled a low strike into the bottom corner. Relief all round.
Supporters might have hoped the opener would settle the nerves and spark a few more goals, but Villa never really kicked on in front of goal. Donyell Malen went close soon after only to see a desperate block deny him, and with only one goal separating the teams, the door was always open for Bologna. The visitors created the odd moment in advanced areas but continually wasted them, Federico Bernardeschi the worst culprit when he shanked a glorious chance miles wide with no defender near him.
Emery looked visibly frustrated on the touchline and didn’t wait long into the second half to roll the dice, throwing on Ollie Watkins. The striker nearly made an immediate impact, only to be denied by a superb last-ditch challenge from Martin Vitík. That battle defined the next few minutes – Watkins was soon felled in the area by the same defender, and although the ref pointed to the spot, Skorupski rescued his teammate, diving low to save a weak penalty.
Villa nearly paid for that miss straight away, Santiago Castro powering a header against the bar with Emi Martínez beaten all ends up. Suddenly the tension inside the ground was palpable. Jadon Sancho, introduced late on, should have killed the contest but blazed a wild strike into the Holte End, leaving Villa to hang on through a nervy final few minutes.
It wasn’t pretty and it certainly wasn’t convincing, but Emery will care little. His side finally have a competitive win on the board this season, and in Europe no less, giving them a base to build on. Bologna, meanwhile, will leave Birmingham wondering how on earth they didn’t make more of Villa’s profligacy.