The long wait for a victory is over for Aston Villa, although it was a tense opening win of their campaign during which Ollie Watkins missed a penalty and continued his struggles at the start of the season.
The long wait for a victory is over for Aston Villa, although it was a tense opening win of their campaign during which Ollie Watkins missed a penalty and continued his struggles at the start of the season.
John McGinn’s early strike secured the Europa League points, ending Villa’s six-match winless streak, but it was hardly the tonic to cure all of their problems. Unai Emery’s team still have work to do to get back on track.
But a win is a win. They could not be accused of being “lazy”, which was Emery’s damning assessment of his players when they could only draw against Sunderland’s 10 men at the weekend.
Villa had to work hard for their victory, matching Bologna physically and playing with urgency when they had chances to move forward, with McGinn’s goal coming after a corner broke his way on the edge of the area.
“We will take anything that is coming,” said McGinn. “It is a collective responsibility and we’ve not been good enough. We can take the praise when it comes, but we are being criticised at the minute. We are not happy with what we are doing on the park, we know we need to turn this around.”
The evening will not be remembered as a classic, it was not up there with Bayern Munich heading to Villa Park last season. But at least they have a foothold now, something to build on after a dreadful start.
“We have won,” said Emery. “That is the most important thing. We are trying to be demanding as to how we win. We played well and if we were more clinical we could have had more, but overall in 90 minutes we were better than the last matches.”
There is still some way to go to completely rid the image of a club who were in chaos at the start of the season, but wins will help. Monchi, the director of football operations, stepping down and former Real Sociedad sporting director Roberto Olabe replacing him in the second month of the season was a surprise, while Emery’s team were expected to pick up more points by now.
Watkins’s form has also been a concern because the England striker has scored only three times in the past six months. He is yet to find the net this season and his penalty was that of a player short on confidence.
Ollie Watkins is unable to double Aston Villa's lead as his penalty is saved ❌
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 25, 2025
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUKpic.twitter.com/K8ZPttH9E9
He started the evening on the bench, one of those who paid the price for the “lazy” performance at the Stadium of Light. The 29-year-old is such a good squad player that he is all but assured of a place in England’s World Cup squad, but he has to find his scoring touch.
“Ollie is a top-class striker and he is not in the England squad for nothing,” added McGinn. “He is not scoring right now – that is fine. We know the work he is doing for the team and we won’t put any pressure on him: he has been top class for us.”
McGinn’s goal, in the 13th minute, had Emery slapping the back of Villa set-piece coach Austin MacPhee, who perches on the edge of the technical area for every corner and free-kick. While the short-corner routine cut through Bologna’s defence, Morgan Rogers also completely missed his kick in front of goal.
It was not until Charalampos Lykogiannis cleared to the edge of the area that Villa found the net, with McGinn executing a perfectly controlled volley to find the bottom corner.
John McGinn gets Aston Villa's first home goal of the season!
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 25, 2025
He gives his side the lead against Bologna in the 13th minute 💥
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUKpic.twitter.com/gbCYIuB7lB
The Villa captain’s goal went some way to temporarily ease the nerves around Villa Park, with fans coming away from fixtures here against Newcastle and Crystal Palace without victory. Emery’s “lazy” accusation was a rocket for his players, with his team selection showing he was willing to drop big names to find a win.
Watkins, Villa’s top goalscorer for the past five seasons, was on the bench and joined by Lucas Digne and Tyrone Mings. Emiliano Martínez was not in the match-day squad, although the World Cup winner’s absence was explained by injury.
“It is not nice when the manager doesn’t speak well of you, but it gives you that extra bit of fuel to prove them wrong. When we got in there today he was really happy with the performance,” said Villa centre-back Ezri Konsa.
“We finally got a goal here, we have to use that. I am sure Ollie will be even more fuelled up to get a goal on Sunday.”
Watkins came off the bench and won a penalty within nine minutes of his introduction, racing on to Ian Maatsen’s pass and tumbling when tripped by Martin Vitik. But his penalty, as his name rang from the terraces, was poor. Lukasz Skorupski anticipated it going down the middle and saved with his legs.
“I am pleased because Ollie did his task, he pressed and won duels and had chances and won a penalty,” said Emery.
“He has to feel after each match like I am feeling now – be happy that he did his work. If he is scoring he will feel better. But the most important thing is doing his task. The goal will come because of the work he is doing. ”
And finally Unai Emery talks to TNT Sports
[Congratulations on your first win]. Thank you. We did win in pre-season [laughs]. At home I felt always here, for three years, that we are always strong and confident and creating, building energy with the supporters. Tonight I felt that again. Tactical [intelligence] you need, confidence you need but if you are not building energy then it is difficult.
Bologna were difficult they demanded a lot [from us] but we won and we deserved to win.
He [Watkins] was working [hard] today and that is the first step to build confidence. He had a penalty and created chances but the important thing is to build confidence and do your task like he did today. That’s the first step and that’s fantastic.
We are not being consistent until today. We have to try to be consistent on Sunday. We have to continue building and some players have to adapt fast. We need to keep progressing and this win will help us be positive.
My dream is to play in Europe and keep improving everything. Then try to be a contender for some trophies. I am confident and excited to win the Europa League but it will be very difficult.
Good interview with Ezri Konsa
"Morgan's still young, I think a lot of people forget"
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 25, 2025
Ezri Konsa backs Morgan Rogers to recapture his form 📈
🎙@julesbreach | 📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUKpic.twitter.com/wdUpMnfPHE
John McGinn talks to TNT Sports
Important to get a win at home. Not our strongest start to the season, especially at home. We could have made it more comfortable in the first half. They’re a good team, they play man for man which is really difficult but we made chances, missed a penalty and Marco [Bizot saved us]. But we’ll take anything.
It;s collective. We haven’t been good enough. We know that. Nothing more to it. We are professionals. We’ve had a lot of praise over the past few seasons. We know how important the league is. It’s a tough game against Fulham. We need to pick up in the league.
We’ve been on a long run [without winning] before. It’s easy to panic in there but we’re professionals. We know we need to turn it around. We’ve not been happy on the park with what we’ve been doing and the results we’ve been getting. We’ve got the quality and tonight we showed it but it’s not enough.
Ollie’s a top-class striker. He’s not in the England squad for nothing. If he’s not scoring, that’s fine because you see the effort he’s putting in for the team. We don’t need to put any pressure on Ollie, add to the external noise. he’s been brilliant for us and has nothing to prove to us.
Full time: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Excellent save from Bizot in the dying seconds to claw away Freuler’s loopy header that would have crept into the top left corner from a stupidly conceded free-kick by Digne.
Villa survive to win their first game of the season. Better by the standards of this season but miles off their best of last season.
90+5 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Rogers puts Watkins through ina 50-50 race with the keeper scrambling to greet him. Skorupski dives and blocks Watkins’ toe-poke. He didn’t try to chip it.
90+4 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Watkins finds the space in the box to meet the corner with a diving header but glances it way past the left post.
90+2 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Watkins has a run at Holm down the left, switches the ball on to his right to shoot on the 18-yard line and watches as it hits Vitik and floats behind for a corner.
90 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Bologna fanny around with a couple of short passes then stick it into the box and Vittek heads it comfortably within Bizot’s arc.
Five minutes of stoppage time to come.
89 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Guessand wraps his arms around Lykogiannis as they chase Cash’s long pass up the right and the ref blows for a foul. A minute later Digne wipes out Orsolini with a body-check and concedes a free-kick 40 yards out on the right.
87 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
McGinn, trying to clear, passes it straight to Fabbian but follows up with a crisp tackle that rebounds off the sub and out for a throw. Villa shift the ball quickly up to Rogers in the centre-circle and Watkins, on the shoulder of Vitek, finally has the secnario that suits him best. But Rogers fluffs the pass. Bah!
85 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Digne’s decoy run down the left allows Sancho to cut in from the left into the area and shoot. He was aiming for the top corner but there was no bend and the ball kept going towards the corner flag.
A last round of Bologna subs:
Dallinga → Odgaard
Fabbian → Castro
83 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Rowe stretches his legs down the left then fizzes over a low, bouncing cross, whipped hard that skips through the box and out for a goal-kick. The kind of centre that needed only a touch to divert it past the keeper but too many Bologna players were on their heels.
81 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Bologna break and earn a corner on the left. Holm rises to meet the cross and has a free header which he nods straight down Bizot’s throat.
79 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Castro kicks the studs on the sole of Sancho’s boot and Bologna have a free-kick in their own half. From the free-kick Orsolini is caught offside barely a yard into the Villa half after Castro scrapped to win a chip into the centre-circle, trapped it with his chest and passed it out to the wing with an overhead kick.
77 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
I’m surprised Elliott hasn’t been brought on yet. He’s a game-changing talent. And Villa have lost their spark if not their discipline.
75 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
The referee gives Bologna a free-kick that seemed a 50-50 between Castro and Konsa when they collided when battling for a header. Villa catch Bologna offside from the free-kick.
73 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Bizot is hurt when making a point-blank save with his left biceps from Odgaard.
Digne → Maatsen.
71 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
And Bologna go up the other end and should have equalised when Orsolini, who has just come on, whipped over a cross from the right and Castro rose above his marker six yards out and ballooned a simple header over the bar.
Holm → Zortea
Orsolini → Bernardeschi
Rowe → Cambiaghi.
Saved!
The drought endures. Eight games without a goal. terrible pen. Weak, low and straight down the middle. The keeper went to his right but saved it with his feet.
Ollie Watkins is unable to double Aston Villa's lead as his penalty is saved ❌
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 25, 2025
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUKpic.twitter.com/K8ZPttH9E9
Penalty awarded
VAR says he was onside. Watkins grabs the ball.
Villa penalty?!
Was Watkins onside? VAR is checking after Vitik ran across the striker and their knees collided.
65 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Villa’s set-piece innovation continues to evolve.
b'Another example of bonkers football rules. Bologna were clearly offside but the flag does not go up until the ball is dead. During the time it took for the flag to be raised, Matty Cash took a shot flush in the crown jewels.
63 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
The corner is taken short, then back to McGinn who stands it up to the far post. Bologna can only half clear which instigates half a minute of penalty-box aerial ping-pong until a Villa high boot persuades the referee to whistle.
61 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
McGinn picks out Guessand with a pass out to the right. Guessand takes it in his stride, stops, starts and then drives down the outside of Lykogiannis to whip it to the near post. Clever run by Watkins but Vitik strong-arms in front of him to knock it behind.
59 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Watkins has gone down as if he’s been smacked in the mouth when held off by, I think, Freuler but it was his shoulder. Doesn’t stop him milking it. Good, brave block from Cash thwarts Cambiaghi in an attack that is eventually deemed offside.
57 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
First changes:
Sancho → Buendia
Watkins → Malen.
55 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Rogers, who looks out of sorts, misplaces his pass up the right to Guessand. But Cash robs it off the defender after the interception and storms down the wing then drives infield to cross with his left,s winging it towards the back post… just too high for Buendia.
52 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Big chance for Castro at the near post having edged across Cash to meet Lykogiannis’s cross from the left on the volley at the near post but he shanks it back towards the man who crossed it and then fouls Kamara when trying to retrieve it.
50 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Maatsen tackles Bernardeschi who was doing his usual move, cutting into the box off the right on to his left foot, then sprays a wonderful 50-yard pass up to Malan who has a clear run at the centre-backs and bets one but not Lucumi. The Colombian times his tackle perfectly.
48 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Cambiaghi blindsides Rogers who was facing his won goal to collect Pau Torres’ pass. He nips in from the left to take the ball off his toe and pass it out to Bernardeschi on the right. The winger skates infield across the 18-yard line and then thunps a left-foot shot to Bizot’s right. The keeper gets down smartly to save.
46 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
No changes but the punditry consensus – Martin Keown and Owen Hargreaves – is that Watkins, Elliott and Sancho should come on soon to build momentum for playing Fulham at the weekend.
Half-time: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Bologna have had some decent attacking moments down the flanks and Bernardeschi is still a slippery winger. But Villa will be pleased with their performance. What they have lacked so far in precision and the quality of last season they have made up for in endeavour. Emery won’t be able to call anyone “lazy” tonight.
44 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Malen is working hard but nothing is running for him quite as he would like. Fair to say his first touch has been heavy tonight which has ruined a couple of promising positions.
42 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Yellow card for Cash for raising his leg when beaten and on the floor to trip Cambiaghi. The free-kick is put behind Kamara and the corner triggers three shooting attempts, two blocked and the third pumped into orbit by Zortea.
40 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Bernardeschi traverses the 18-yard line from right to left dribbling, looking for am opening. He could have laid it off to Freuler to shoot but keeps going and eventually gives it to Cambiaghi who slices his shot hopelessy high and wide.
37 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Bernardeschi finds some space on the right when Cambiaghi switches it quickly from the left. Zortea races down the outside and cuts it infield to Bernardeschi who wafts a left-foot shot from the right wide of the right post. He was trying to fade it around Konsa and bend it in but it stayed straight, a cucumber when he was looking for a banana.
35 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Another Pat Jennings style save from Skorupski who races off his line and dives head-first at Malen’s feet after the Dutch forward had burst past Vitik but couldn’t beat Skorupski to the ball that had been pushed a couple of inches too far ahead.
33 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Bernardeschi follows Lucumi and has a shot from distance, lower than the Colombian’s, and straight at Marco ‘Marco Bizot’ Bizot.
32 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Villa are clearly the better side but would surely be more inventive with Sancho and Elliott in the line-up. Not sure Malen is a good fit at centre-forward either.
30 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Lucumi receives a square pass from the right flank and, when the defence melts away, decides to put his laces through a 35-yard shot that sails over the bar.
28 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Freuler’s up and under back-pass almost plays Guessand through the inside-right channel with a clear path to goal but Lyko giannis managed to get there first.
25 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Buendia pings the ball forward to Malan to wriggle between Zortea and Vitik into the box. Out rushes Skorupski with a headlong dive to slap the ball away. Male goes over his arms but only after the keeper touched the ball and Skorupski springs back to his feet to scramble across his goalmouth to ensure Buendia’s follow up attempt at a curler into the bottom left corner stayed the safe side of the post.
23 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Now Cambiaghi drives past Cash and whips over a cross looking for Ferguson but he’s surrounded and can’t find the space to get a proper shot off.
21 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Villa clearly in a 4-4-2 when Bologna have the ball with Rogers joining Malan up front. And Bologna are finding it hard to break through the lines. They’re not having any luck going down the sides either.
19 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
A push in the box while the cross was still in the air gives Bologna a free-kick.
17 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Good save by Skorupski from Malan’s effort turns the ball behind for a corner.
15 min: Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0
Confidence now coursing through Aston Villa’s veins after their first home goal of the season, pressing hard and earning a couple of corners that give Skorupski the wobbles but he manages to keep out.
GOAL!
Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0 (McGinn) Short corner routine that doesn’t quite work with Buendia feeding a pass into the box for Rogers to sweep in with his left but he falls over, the ball is hacked away and McGinn traps it with a velvety touch and then steers a shot with his left into the bottom right corner from 22 yards.
John McGinn gets Aston Villa's first home goal of the season!
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 25, 2025
He gives his side the lead against Bologna in the 13th minute 💥
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUKpic.twitter.com/gbCYIuB7lB
11 min: Aston Villa 0 Bologna 0
Bologna corner on the left after good work from Cambiaghi and when the ball breaks to Lucumi he stabs it wide.
9 min: Aston Villa 0 Bologna 0
More bragging from Savage about how well he’s doing at Forest Green, saying he’s a fan of tactics and formatiosn and winning with all of them. Relentless now. Any chance of just talking about the game. Yes, you’ve surprised us all with a relatively late and so far successful switch to coaching. But really …
7 min: Aston Villa 0 Bologna 0
Guessand powers up the right, cutting infield, looking for his centre-forward and when Malen stays beside him he goes it alone. The space between Lykogiannis and Lucumi opens and he shoots through a defender’s leg, Skorupski saves, parrying it across the six-yard box but there’s no one there to apply the finishing touch. The shot wasn’t firm enough.
5 min: Aston Villa 0 Bologna 0
Noticeable that Villa lack pace across the front four, something that Jadon Sancho could add. Rogers is fouled 10 yards inside his own half when trying to hold off Vitik.
3 min: Aston Villa 0 Bologna 0
Savage says he loves Villa Park because he “usually gets three points here”. Ho, ho. Slack McGinn pass also lets Castro roam free in the box but Kamara bails him out and Villa counter through Cash who lacks support and goes garrity at his team-mates for not going with him when they could have hurt Bologna on the transition.
1 min: Aston Villa 0 Bologna 0
TNT Sports continues to employ Robbie Savage who is doing better as a head coach of Forest Green than he usually does as a pundit. Heyho. Bologna kick off, knock it back to Skorupski who launches it and Buendia is fouled under an aerial challenge.
The teams are in the tunnel
Heading out now to be greeted by Holte End giant banners this time on the theme of celebrating Villa fans. Villa rea in their home kit of claret, blue and white, Bologna in white shirts and inky blue-black shorts and socks.
Emery’s pre-match thoughts
Emi Martínez is injured. A small injury but he’s not available. It’s a good opportunity for the players [coming in] to show they can play and use their qualities. We have to try to get better tactically and we need all the players. We are playing at home and usually at home we were so, so strong and we hope we can do that. But we know we have to take one step [at a time]. It’s always very difficult [European ties].
Ezri Konsa’s pre-match thoughts
Things haven’t been good so far for us this season, but there are blips in a season and we’re going through that now.
Hopefully we can move on from that. We’ve been in these positions before. Last season we went eight games without a win, so we know what it takes to get that win.
What Monchi exit means for Emery’s future at Aston Villa
b'
These are worrying times at Aston Villa and the departure of Monchi, a key ally of manager Unai Emery, will only heighten the sense of uncertainty.
After an excruciating summer hampered by financial restrictions, Villa have made a poor start to the season with no wins and just one goal scored in the Premier League.
The surprise exit of Monchi on Monday night, after just over two years in his role as president of football operations, has increased fears all is not well behind the scenes. Perhaps most alarmingly, it has also raised concerns among many supporters that Emery could follow him out of the door.
The teams in black and white
Aston Villa Bizot; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen; McGinn, Kamara; Guessand, Rogers, Buendia; Malen.
Substitutes Proctor, Lindelof, Mings, Elliott, Watkins, Digne, Garcia, Sancho, Bogarde, Burrowes, Oakley.
Bologna Skorupski; Zortea, Vitik, Lucumi, Lykogiannis; Ferguson, Freuler Odgaard,;Bernardeschi, Castro, Cambiaghi.
Substitutes Ravaglia, Pessina, Holm, Moro, Orsolini, Rowe, Heggem, Dallinga, Miranda, Fabbian.
Referee Jesus Gil Manzano (Spain)
Bologna team news
Il primo 1️⃣1️⃣ della nostra Uefa Europa League 🔥🔴🔵#AstonVillaBologna#UEL#WeAreOnepic.twitter.com/Ii5Z98gL9E
— Bologna FC 1909 (@Bolognafc1909) September 25, 2025
Six changes for Vincenzo Italiano from the team that started the 2-1 victory over Genoa, three of them in defence. Out go De Silvestri, Heggem, Miranda, Moro, Orsolini and Dominguez for Zortea, Lucumi, Lykogiannis, Ferguson, Odgaard and Cambiaghi. Scotland midfielder Lewis Ferguson captains the side.
Emery makes two big calls
b'Unai Emery has made a big call dropping Ollie Watkins to the bench as Aston Villa look for their first win of the season. Watkins, 29, has been the club’s top goalscorer in the last five seasons – every campaign since he arrived from Brentford.
Uefa’s official team-sheet has Villa set up in a 4-4-2 with Emiliano Buendía and Donyell Malen up front, although they have Evann Guessand lined up on the wing and he can play centrally. Marco Bizot also comes in for Emi Martínez in goal, which is another bold call.
Aston Villa team news
How we start to face Bologna ✊ #UELpic.twitter.com/RzF4o76iuh
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) September 25, 2025
Four changes from the stadium of light: Out go Martínez, Mings, Digne and Watkins for Bizot, Pau Torres, Maatsen and Malen.
Betting on tonight’s match?
Advertisement | GambleAware | 18+
Betting on the football today? Take a look at these best betting sites chosen by Telegraph Media Group
Preview: Villa desperate to get their season started properly
Good evening and welcome to live coverage of Aston Villa’s home match against Bologna, the first of eight group stage matches in the Europa League. Villa, hamstrung by PSR and signings who have so far failed to deliver value for money, have scored only two goals in six matches in the Premier League and Carabao Cup, losing the latter tie on penalties and clocking up three draws and two defeats that have left them 18th in the table going into the weekend. These difficulties have cost the sporting director Monchi his job after two years and left Unai Emery lamenting the “lazy” players who could not hang on to their 1-0 lead against 10-man Sunderland last week.
And yet… The Europa League is Emery’s happy place and that’s not to damn him with faint praise. He has won it four times as a coach, a hat-trick with Sevilla, one with Villarreal and even a runners-up place with Arsenal in 2019. His tow European campaigns with the Villa so far have been in the Conference League, taking them to the semi-finals, and the Champions League, where they were knocked out in the quarter-final by PSG in April. If there really is unrest behind the scenes as the deep throats of social media are hinting, one would think it would be evident in their performance tonight. Successful clubs, as Sir Alex Ferguson said, have to change the manager or the players after a couple of years or risk stagnation. And in football, stagnation = decline.
In last year’s Champions League Villa beat Bologna 2-0 at the group stage with goals from John McGinn and the check-for-transposition-error himself Jhon Duran. Bologna were fourth in Serie A with five games to go but slumped to ninth after finishing with two draws and three defeats, rallying to win the Coppa Italia final with a 1-0 victory over Milan to qualify for this competition.
In the summer they sold Dutch defender Sam Beukema to champions Napoli for £27m and winger Dan Ndoye to Forest for £37m, using the income to remodel their defence. Up front they have recruited two veteran Italy Euro 2020 winners in 35-year-old Lazio hall of famer Ciro Immobile and Federico Bernardeschi, three times a champion with Juventus, on free transfers. Right at the end of the window they also bought England Euro U21 2025 winner Jonathan Rowe after his bust-up at Marseille with Adrien Rabiot. The former Norwich winger will try to help Bologna record their first win or draw in England in the 8pm kick-off by denying Emery the win that he craves.
Category: General Sports
