It has not been an easy season for Ollie Watkins but he is edging ever closer to becoming the first Aston Villa player of the modern era to join the 100 club.
Here were goal numbers 98 and 99 in all competitions for the England forward and a timely response to his recent exclusion from Thomas Tuchel’s squad.
There has always been a theory that Watkins is never more dangerous than when he is fighting against a perceived injustice.
Whether it be losing his place under Unai Emery, or being left out by England last month, Watkins frequently seems to produce when enduring a setback.
Time is running out for the £33m striker to book his place on the plane for the World Cup, but cementing his place in Villa history will unquestionably assist him in his mission.
Villa were far from electric here in Bologna but nobody will care how they achieve it if Emery ends their long wait for a trophy.
Emery is targeting trophy number five of his career as a manager in the Europa League and Villa are arguably the favourites to go all the way.
To put his formidable record in this competition into some context, Emery has lost just once in the last 25 matches. It is a remarkable run of results, and a chilling set of statistics for Villa’s rivals.
Villa will head into next week’s reunion with a big advantage and, perhaps, the prospect of an all-English semi-final against Nottingham Forest will become a reality.