Aston Villa emphatically defeated Bologna with a dominant 4-0 win, advancing to the semifinals of the Europa League with a commanding 7-1 aggregate score.
Under the guidance of Unai Emery, Villa reached their second European semifinal in three years and are set for a Premier League showdown against Nottingham Forest for a shot at the final in Istanbul.
Emery, a seasoned expert in this competition with four previous titles, is a strong contender to add another trophy to his collection.
Villa headed into the home leg with a solid 3-1 advantage from the first match. Any chances of an Italian resurgence were quickly dashed as the home team netted three first-half goals, starting with a beautiful team play finished off by Ollie Watkins, marking the occasion with his 100th goal for the club.
Emi Buendia doubled the lead just 46 seconds after Morgan Rogers had his penalty attempt denied, with Rogers quickly redeeming himself to score Villa’s third before halftime—his first goal since February 7.
Ezri Konsa capped off the convincing victory with his second goal of the tie late in the game.
Bologna initially threatened with a long-range shot from Federico Bernardeschi, but Emiliano Martínez was equal to it, showcasing his skills in goal.
The visitors’ promising start fell apart when Villa executed a brilliant team play in the 16th minute. Rogers skillfully connected with Buendia and received the ball back before assisting Watkins for a tap-in—his third goal of the tie.
Rogers continued to be a nuisance, almost extending the lead with a curling shot that Federico Ravaglia had to tip behind for a corner.
Villa looked for a penalty after a deflected header from Rogers struck the raised arm of Martin Vitík; they were awarded a spot-kick following a VAR review. Rogers stepped up but saw his shot saved by Ravaglia.
Nevertheless, Villa quickly doubled their lead within a minute. Caught off-guard from a throw-in, Lucas Digne threw the ball to a free Buendia, who then cut inside and shot past Ravaglia at the near post.
The hosts were relentless, adding a third goal six minutes before the break. Villa sliced through Bologna’s defense as John McGinn set up Rogers on the left, who slammed a shot past Ravaglia at the near post.
Though the tie appeared secured, Bologna kept pressing in the second half, prompting Martinez to thwart a long-range effort from Nikola Moro.
Villa attempted to extend their lead with Digne’s shot saved by Ravaglia, but they eventually found their fourth goal in the final minute when a corner allowed Konsa to seal the deal.