Aston Villa began their Europa League campaign against Bologna at Villa Park on Thursday evening, seeking their first victory of the season. This marks Villa's third consecutive year in a European competition, having competed in the Champions League last season and reaching the Conference League semi-finals in 2023-24. Last season, Aston Villa defeated Bologna 2-0 in the Champions League. Unai Emery's side is aiming to replicate that result. The match was broadcast live on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate, with coverage beginning at 7.30pm.
Bologna qualified for the Europa League after winning the Coppa Italia for the third time, defeating AC Milan 1-0 in the final. They are currently 11th in Serie A, with two wins and two defeats in their first four games. Bologna has not won in their last five European matches against English teams, with their last victory being a 1-0 win over Leeds United in March 1967 in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. Vincenzo Italiano, Bologna's coach, urged his team to be "more cheeky" and "more brazen" than they were in their previous Champions League encounter against Villa. He acknowledged Aston Villa as a strong team in the Europa League and wants Bologna to build on their experience from last season.
Unai Emery holds the record for the most games managed (93), most wins (56), and most titles won (4) in UEFA Europa League history. He has reached the final in each of his last five full campaigns in the competition.
Meanwhile, Rangers commenced their Europa League league phase campaign against Genk at Ibrox. Russell Martin, Rangers' head coach, is embarking on his first European campaign. Derek Cornelius, a Rangers defender, expressed his excitement about his first involvement in European competition and the history behind the club. He emphasized the importance of the fans and the team's performance in securing a win. Rangers made it to the quarter-finals in the 2024/25 Europa League.
The matchday programme featured an exclusive interview with Bojan Miovski, who discussed his hopes for the campaign and his experience in European football. Sky Sports provided live digital coverage of the match between Rangers and Genk. Odds for the match included +155 for a Rangers win, +165 for a Genk win, and +250 for a draw.
