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Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has won the Europa League four times so it was no great surprise that the Spanish tactician guided the Villans to second place in the 36-team group phase of this season’s tournament.
Villa racked up seven wins out of eight and stayed on course to give Emery a fifth title by easing to a 3-0 aggregate win over Lille in the last 16.
Quarter-final opponents Bologna, currently eighth in Serie A, finished 10th in the league phase to go into a playoff. There they beat Norwegian side Brann before raising eyebrows back home by dumping out fellow Italians Roma in the last 16 via a dramatic 4-3 home win after extra-time in the second leg.
Bologna v Aston Villa kick-off time
Bologna v Aston Villa kicks off at 8pm BST on Thursday, April 9 at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara.
Bologna v Aston Villa how to watch
Bologna team news
Czech defender Martin Vitik is banned for the first leg but Bologna have Juan Miranda available again after the Spanish left-back served a one-match suspension.
Aston Villa team news
The treatment room at Villa has just about emptied although Jadon Sancho is out with a shoulder injury.
Ross Barkley is ineligible after being left out of Villa’s squad list while Boubacar Kamara remains sidelined.
Bologna v Aston Villa odds
For Thursday evening’s meeting in Italy, Aston Villa are 11/8 favourites to establish a first-leg lead. Bologna are 2/1 to win on the night while the Draw is 23/10.
In the ‘to qualify’ market, Villa are just 2/5 to go through to the last four, with Bologna 12/5.
As for the outright betting, Aston Villa are warm 7/4 favourites to lift the trophy, with Real Betis and Porto joint-second best at 5/1. Bologna are priced at 10/1.
Bologna v Aston Villa prediction
Unai Emery’s amazing record in this tournament continues and Villa have won nine of their 10 matches in this season’s Europa League.
Villa only lost 5-4 to eventual winners PSG in last season’s Champions League so the 1982 European Cup winners are definitely a force to be reckoned with in Europe again – certainly at this level.
The market agrees, making Villa the clear favourites to lift the trophy in Istanbul next month.
Villa have had two weeks off ahead of Thursday’s tie and, although they’ve had a few recent wobbles in the Premier League, they still look a good bet to finish in the top five.
This is a tough test though and although they beat Bologna 1-0 in the opening match of the league phase, the Italians have gone 11 games unbeaten in Europe since.
Villa should prevail over two legs but for this one try a 1-1 draw at 11/2.
As well as meeting in this tournament back in September, the pair also squared off at Villa Park in last season’s Champions League.
John McGinn scored in both games – 1-0 and 2-0 wins – and he’s 9/2 to make Bologna’s net bulge for a third time.
