Unai Emery
Aston Villa secured a commanding 3-1 victory against Bologna in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final clash on Thursday night. The win in Italy has put Villa in a strong position to advance, with Ollie Watkins playing a pivotal role by netting two crucial goals. Ezri Konsa opened the scoring for Villa, and despite a late goal from Bologna’s Jonathan Rowe, Watkins sealed the win with a second strike in the dying moments of the match.
Unai Emery said: “When we speak about collectively and individually, Watkins is a fighter. Sometimes he plays brilliantly like today, and sometimes not. When he doesn’t score we lack something from him. Always he plays well because he always does his task and he works for the team. Scoring two goals is fantastic for him and for us. He is always consistent in his work. The team, more or less, we had confidence to connect with him, sometimes through Morgan or Emi Buendia. As well, we were better than the first half in the long balls for Watkins. It is positive for him and this is the next way and the example for Tammy Abraham. This is the message for the squad and the players. The result is fantastic and the individual performances like Watkins was really important for us and for him. Then, we will try to get everyone together for the next challenges against Forest and Bologna.”
Watkins’ recent form has been instrumental for Villa, as he has scored four goals in his last five matches. Despite being left out of the recent England squad, Watkins has shown resilience and determination, which was evident in his performance against Bologna. Villa’s unbeaten run in European home matches this season further boosts their confidence as they prepare for the return leg at Villa Park. With a solid home record under Emery, Villa will be looking to capitalize on their advantage and secure their place in the semi-finals.
Jonathan Rowe, who scored Bologna’s only goal, is another player who caught the eye. His performance has reignited interest from Villa, who previously considered him a transfer target. Rowe’s pace and quality were evident as he tested Villa’s defense and goalkeeper Emi Martinez. Emery acknowledged Rowe’s threat and highlighted the need for Villa to remain vigilant in the upcoming fixtures.
Unai Emery said: “He is playing progressively better this season. We played the first match in the Europa League against Bologna. Since there and to the analysis we did now, the last matches he has performed very well. He scored a fantastic goal and we must respect them individually and collectively. I will respect them again and improving things because he threatened us more than we planned.”
As Villa look ahead to their next challenges, the focus will be on maintaining their momentum and ensuring that key players like Watkins continue to deliver. The upcoming matches against Nottingham Forest and the return leg against Bologna will be crucial in determining Villa’s European campaign.
About The Author
