Can Bologna upset the Villans?
On Thursday evening, FC Bologna and Aston Villa will face off once again in the Europa League quarterfinals. The first meeting took place in England on Matchday 1 of the group stage, with the Villans winning that match 1-0. In the Round of 16, the English side prevailed in both legs against OSC Lille without conceding a goal, winning 3-0 on aggregate.
In the Round of 16, FC Bologna faced their compatriots AS Roma. After a 1-1 draw at home, the Rossoblu prevailed with a 4-3 victory in extra time in Rome. Since the Italians have conceded only five goals in six Europa League home games and have only once allowed two goals in a single match, we’re betting on under 1.5 goals by the Villans in our Bologna vs. Aston Villa prediction.
FC Bologna is currently in a solid run in European competition, having suffered just one defeat in their last 15 international matches. That loss, however, came against Aston Villa of all teams. Overall, Bologna is unbeaten in eleven matches, confirming their consistent form on the international stage.
Offensively, Jonathan Rowe has been particularly influential, having been directly involved in five goals in his last six UEFA Europa League appearances. Historically, Bologna has had mixed results in European knockout rounds: in four quarterfinal appearances to date, they have advanced twice and been eliminated twice.
Aston Villa, on the other hand, is currently in outstanding form in international competition. Seven consecutive wins in the Europa League underscore their strong form and place the club in the same league as other top English teams that have put together similar streaks in recent years. Villa has been particularly solid defensively, as evidenced by four consecutive clean sheets against Italian teams.
Offensively, John McGinn is also a key factor: with nine goals, he is among the most prolific European scorers in the club’s history. Overall, Aston Villa’s third consecutive quarterfinal appearance underscores its steady development at the international level.
Bologna – Aston Villa Head-to-Head Record
The head-to-head record between Bologna and Aston Villa paints a clear picture so far. In their two previous meetings, Aston Villa has prevailed both times, while Bologna is still waiting for its first win. There has also been no draw. The goal difference also clearly favors the English side. Aston Villa scored a total of three goals and kept a clean sheet, meaning Bologna has yet to score a goal in their head-to-head matches.
Bologna – Aston Villa Prediction
According to top bookmakers, the betting odds for Bologna vs. Aston Villa favor the visitors. They have won nine of their ten matches in this Europa League campaign, conceding only six goals in the process.
Their record against the Italians is also strong, with the last four encounters all ending in shutout victories.
The hosts from Italy have lost only one of their last 15 games at the international level—the group stage match against Aston Villa. At home, however, Bologna remains undefeated, though they have drawn four of their six home games. Only Celtic Glasgow managed to score more than one goal in a 2-2 draw.
