Aston Villa secured their first win of the season by defeating Bologna 1-0 at Villa Park in their Europa League opener. Unai Emery's squad, previously winless in five league matches and positioned 18th in the Premier League, were buoyed by enthusiastic home fans. They started energetically, with Evann Guessand nearly scoring within six minutes, only to be denied by Lukasz Skorupski.
Villa's breakthrough came swiftly as John McGinn capitalised on space at the edge of the penalty area, sending a precise shot into the bottom-right corner. The hosts maintained pressure, with Donyell Malen coming close to doubling their lead, but Skorupski again intervened after Boubacar Kamara's assist. Despite Bologna's improved performance in the second half, Villa had
another chance when Martin Vitik fouled Ollie Watkins in the box. However, Watkins' penalty was saved by Skorupski.
Starting as we mean to go on #UEL pic.twitter.com/OqLYM8Tvmu
- Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) September 25, 2025
Despite domestic challenges, Villa continues to excel at home in European competitions. Their current unbeaten streak at Villa Park has reached seven matches (W6 D1), marking their second-longest run without defeat in Europe. This victory adds three points to their Europa League campaign.
John McGinn's goal was significant for both him and the club. Since joining Villa in 2018, McGinn has become the first player to score in three major European tournaments for the club: the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League. Meanwhile, Ollie Watkins is still searching for his first goal this season after missing another penalty.
Bologna's difficulties in finding the net persist in European competitions. They have failed to score in six different matches since last season. This ongoing issue highlights their struggle to convert opportunities into goals on this stage.
As Aston Villa looks ahead, they aim to build on this momentum and improve their league standing while maintaining their strong European form at home. The team will need to address certain areas of concern but can draw confidence from this hard-fought victory against Bologna.
