Aston Villa

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Sunderland at Villa Park (kick-off 14:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• The Aston Villa boss said they are "excited" about the challenge of competing in two competitions after reaching the Europa League semi-finals. "We are glad and delighted to be now, in the moment we are, after some parts of the season not performing, struggling and other parts of the season really being fantastic."

• He added: "Now, the key moment in the season, we are involved in those two competitions, Premier League - the priority - and Europa League, in the semi-final. We are motivated, we are excited, we have the challenge. The challenge is to keep those two competitions being in the level we are."

• Emery did admit competing on both fronts is a big challenge and added: "We must be focusing each competition and each moment, like now we are, and this Sunday against Sunderland. The challenge is a huge challenge for us, competing in both competitions like we are. Why? Because it's not easy to be in the level we are in those competitions."

• He said finishing in the top four or five of the Premier League is "most important".

• The Villa boss said Sunday's opponents Sunderland are one of the teams "performing fantastic" in the Premier League this year but that his Villa team are feeling "comfortable and confident".

• On the impact of set-piece coach Austin MacPhee, Emery said: "Set-pieces are very important, especially in the Premier League. Austin is very, very creative. We are speaking about set-pieces and trying to get an advantage to compete through it but other teams are the same way."

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Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

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A commanding 7-1 aggregate win over Bologna sealed Aston Villa's place in the Europa League semi-final with minimum fuss at Villa Park. And it barely registered as a momentous occasion - a marker of progress achieved under Unai Emery, who has transformed the club and raised standards and expectations in recent seasons.

This is Villa's second European semi-final in three seasons under the Spanish manager, following a Conference League run in 2023-24, and comes after a Champions League quarter-final appearance last season.

"If someone told me we'd be fighting for the Champions League and in a semi-final of the Europa League a couple of years ago I'd have bitten their hand off," said Ollie Watkins, who scored three goals over two legs against Bologna.

"So we are just trying to take it all in and enjoy the process," Villa's latest member of the 100-goal club told TNT Sports.

They are also firmly in the Premier League top-five race, sitting in fourth place with six games remaining and targeting a return to the Champions League via the league.

A European semi-final against Nottingham Forest now awaits them, and 10 years on from the despair of relegation, this feels like the new normal for Villa under Emery.

• Read Nick's assessment of Villa's progress as a club

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We asked for your thoughts after Thursday's Europa League game between Aston Villa and Bologna.

Here are some of your comments:

Matt: Professional. Disciplined. Calculated. Aggressive. What a performance. Villa on the front foot to put the tie to bed early doors. Great to see Morgan Rogers and Emi Buendia being a threat again. Stalwart midfield. Next, two legs against Nottingham Forest to get to the final. If we had played with this conviction against Forest on Sunday in the Premier League, it would've been the same result. Now we have two games against them for silverware, surely we can start dreaming now? UTV.

Steve: Perfection, the Master has delivered - thank you, Unai. May you stay as head of this club for a very, very long time. Perfect game play. The most loved manager in the Premier League!

Prit: That's the Villa performance I've been waiting for all season. Four goals, four different goalscorers (and quality goals too), clean sheet and through to our second European semi-final in three years. Brilliant Villa, brilliant Unai, now let's win the thing (and finish third d in the Premier League, please). UTV.

Rob: Rogers' penalty aside, Villa put on a perfect performance. I thought we dealt with Bologna's press incredibly well and the build-up to each of our goals was incredible. That has to be one of Villa's best European games under Emery. Obviously, Forest are going to be much tougher to beat in the semis, but bring them on and UTV!

Mossy: A very comfortable win against a side that left their performance at home in the first half of the first leg. Getting the first goal was crucial and Villa just got the job done, a massive semi-final ahead now. All English cup games are never easy and it could go either way, I think whoever wins that semi-final will go on to lift the trophy. Nice to have a stress-free night to enjoy at Villa Park for a change. I was worried before the game but their main threat, Jonathan Rowe, was a shadow compared to the brilliant show he put on in Bologna. He barely featured at all, well managed by Villa, job done.

Liam: A fantastic team working for each other all over the park. Semi-final beckons, Forest over two legs is not an easy game at all. We will have to be at the top of our game, however, I truly believe that this is our year, our time to banish thirty years of hurt and qualify for the Champions League. UTV.

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Aston Villa's quest for European silverware continues after a commanding quarter-final victory over Bologna.

They will now face Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest for a place in the Europa League final in Istanbul.

The first leg will be played at The City Ground on 30 April before the return leg at Villa Park on 7 May.

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery after the rampant win against Bologna: "I have my own experiences knowing how difficult it is in Europe, the process that we are doing and the demand.

"We extended the game plan that we did there last week in Bologna. We wanted to stop them and impose our way. The performance and quality form the two matches has been fantastic, but difficult. We have won this [quarter-final] clearly."

On Ollie Watkins' 100th goal for Villa: "Indeed, the numbers are very important. For him, this is a special day because he achieved it. We want to help them and support them to achieve different objectives they have.

"We need him scoring goals and assists. The strikers are very important. The minutes he played today were good but there is still work to do."

On facing Nottingham Forest in the semi-final: "It's important for both teams. They have the momentum in their history of doing it at the highest level. It's going to be a very good semi-final for both teams and the supporters.

"I know how hard it is to play in semi-finals."

Captain John McGinn speaking to TNT Sports: "We needed to get the first goal, it was very important. They are a dangerous team away from home. A great first half gets us to a semi-final. I'm delighted.

"They press you aggressively. Last week we didn't pass it forward enough."

On Watkins' achievement: "It's a great achievement for a massive club."

Did you know?

• Aston Villa have won each of their last nine European games, setting the outright longest winning run by an English team in Uefa Cup/Europa League history.

• Ollie Watkins is now the outright top goalscorer in major European competition for Aston Villa with 10 goals, overtaking Peter Withe and John McGinn who scored nine each.

Hear more from Emery speaking after the match on BBC Sounds here or by clicking play below

Adwaidh Rajan
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa did much of the hard work in the first leg where they ran out 3-1 winners in Italy.

Ollie Watkins struck twice - including a decisive goal in 94th minute - to give Villa a firm grip on the quarter-final tie and his timing was impeccable again at Villa Park, opening the scoring early to allay any fears of an improbable Bologna comeback.

Finishing off a slick team move which involved nine Villa players, Watkins became the 11th player to hit 100 goals for the club and the first since Peter McParland in 1962 to reach the milestone.

He also became their outright top scorer in major European competition with 10 goals, overtaking Peter Withe and McGinn.

Since his Villa debut on 15 September 2020, only Mohamed Salah (159) and Erling Haaland (157) have scored more goals than Watkins in all competitions.

With five goals in seven matches now, he did his chances of making it to England's World Cup squad no harm with another clinical display as Villa's main attacking figure as they chase their first major continental honour since winning the European Cup in 1982.

They have barely had to break a sweat in the competition on their way to the last four with an unexpected 2-1 defeat by Go Ahead Eagles in the Netherlands the only blip in an otherwise spotless campaign.

With seven wins in eight league stage fixtures, they finished level on 21 points with table toppers Lyon before overcoming Lille 3-0 on aggregate in the last 16.

But they stepped up a gear in the semi-final second leg against Bologna, the reigning Coppa Italia champions managed by Vincenzo Italiano, who guided Fiorentina to back-to-back Conference League finals in 2022-23 and 23-24.

English winger Jonathan Rowe had created plenty of problems for Villa in the first leg but this time, Emery's side were almost flawless, dealing calmly with what little threat that came their way while proving ruthless in front of the goal yet again.

With their striker in full flow, John McGinn back fit to add energy and leadership to the midfield and Rogers ending his goal drought, Villa look more than capable of going all the way and claim their first continental trophy in 44 years.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Aston Villa's performance

Come back on Friday for a selection of your replies

There are three Europa League and Conference League fixtures involving Premier League clubs on Thursday night - and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Europa League: Aston Villa v Bologna

• Europa League: Nottingham Forest v Porto - Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Conference League: Fiorentina v Crystal Palace

All kick-off times 20:00 BST

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live commentary on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Nottingham Forest v Porto".

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has kept the side that secured a 3-1 win in the first leg at Bologna.

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who missed Sunday's Premier League game against Nottingham Forest after picking up a knock during the warm-up, is back in the starting line-up.

Tyrone Mings and Jadon Sancho also return to the matchday squad after recovering from injuries.

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Tielemans, Onana, McGinn, Rogers, Buendia, Watkins.

Subs: Bizot, Wright, Lindelof, Mings, Elliott, Garcia, Abraham, Sancho, Luiz, Maatsen, Bailey, Bogarde.

Vincenzo Italiano, meanwhile, makes three changes to Bologna's first-leg starting 11.

Nicolo Casale and Martin Vitik start in the defence while Nikola Moro replaces Tommaso Pobega in the midfield.

Bologna XI: Ravaglia, Casale, Freuler, Vitik, Miranda, Mario, Bernardeschi, Moro, Ferguson, Rowe, Castro.

Subs: Pobega, Orsolini, Heggem, Zortea, Odgaard, Lykogiannis, Sohm, Pessina, Cambiaghi, Castaldo, Franceschelli.

Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Another week passes, and the countdown is now on. Ten games, at most, for Villa to meet their targets for this season, fulfil the dreams of their fans as well as their players and light the path to the club's medium-term ambitions of becoming re-established as a footballing power in England and Europe.

You can gauge exactly how much of a footballing romantic you are by pointing to which of the above you thought of first, but they will all be true if Villa return from Istanbul next month with the Europa League trophy.

For all their achievements in the Premier League this season - and a top-five finish while sustaining a European run to the end would be an achievement without precedent in the club's history - the Europa League has always been the most efficient route to their goals this season. For the first time in living memory, Villa started a major competition as the clear favourite. Their 3-1 win in Bologna last week ensured that they remain on course to justify that billing.

You do not need the natural caution of a football manager to think that this quarter-final is not over yet. Villa were fortunate not to be two goals behind by half-time in Italy, but retained their grace under fire and exploited an advantage they had identified at set-pieces.

Bologna's domestic league position obliges them to throw everything they have at Villa tonight, their other hopes of returning to Europe next season all but lost. Villa should still be able to withstand it.

Villa Park has not been filled for Europa League games this season, a sore point with some Villa supporters. It would be a mistake to misinterpret this as a lack of enthusiasm for European football. At some of the clubs in the group Villa aspire to join, European games are an assumed feature of the calendar.

For Villa, European campaigns have been infrequent enough to be a cherished bonus, at a club where the folk-memory of 1982 is for ever passed on now to two generations of Villa fans who could never have been there.

Perhaps, if they consolidate their finances with another Champions League run next season, Villa will join the group who can expect Europe every year.

Even so, Villa fans are unlikely ever to take it for granted - it means too much. If the best Villa side since 1982 deliver the Europa League title next month, they will hear that emotion given full voice.

Listen to full commentary of Aston Villa v Bologna at 8pm on Thursday on BBC Radio WM [95.6FM/DAB/Freeview 714]

And tune into The West Midlands Football Phone-In from 18:00 on weeknights

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Midfielder Youri Tielemans believes Aston Villa have momentum as they bid for success in the Europa League and to qualify for next season's Champions League in the closing weeks of the season.

Villa take a 3-1 lead into Thursday's quarter-final second leg against Bologna at Villa Park and are fourth in the Premier League - seven points above Chelsea in sixth.

"I think we can feel we're in a good moment," Tielemans said in his pre-match news conference.

"We've got some momentum with playing for the highest places in the Premier League and the quarter-final in the Europa League.

"But we're aware of where we are. We know our qualities and we deserve to be there because we work hard for it. We've got some really good results over the last few months. It's just a good time for us and we want to keep it until the end of the season.

"You play to win it. That's my mentality and also the mentality for many players in the squad.

"When you get there, you have to make sure you play the game as good as you can play and not think about the end moment because that's where you can get carried away sometimes. We need to keep playing like we do and hopefully win those games.

"We're firing, we are all fit and hopefully we can all stay fit. I'm sure if we are then our mentality in our heads is moving in the right direction, which is positive for us."

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been speaking to the media before Thursday's Europa League quarter-final second leg against Bologna at Villa Park (20:00 BST).

Villa won the first leg 3-1.

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Emery said a decision on whether Emiliano Martinez is fit to start on Thursday will be made tomorrow, after he was injured in the warm-up before Sunday's draw at Nottingham Forest: "Today he trained with us. Normally he is going to be available for tomorrow and tomorrow we will decide."

• If he is not fit, Emery said Marco Bizot is "ready to play at the last minute", adding: "He is a fantastic goalkeeper, a fantastic guy, he is ready. He is performing amazing and we are very proud of him. Every day we are praying to have everybody available to play. When something happens in the last minute like Sunday, wow, how Marco responded."

• Emery said he has "a lot of respect" for Thursday's opponents: "When they were playing against Roma, maybe you could think Roma was the favourite and they beat one of the favourites. How they are competing, how they are as a team, how they are pushing all the matches, of course we make ourselves respectful. They are going to play the same match. So aggressive, so intense, getting duels man to man, and attacking us."

• He was asked about reports linking Jadon Sancho with a return to Borussia Dortmund in the summer: "We are focused 100% on our objective. To speak about individual futures now makes no sense. We spoke a lot during the season with him about his task with us, how we need his performance and qualities."

• Emery confirmed Sancho will be available to feature on Thursday after being pictured in training: "Tomorrow he is coming back. Of course he is a fantastic player. He needs to be consistent. I think he has been demanding and he adapted in our structure."

• On the chance to make a European semi-final: "Of course playing in Europe, to play a quarter-final is a privilege and I share it with the players, with the club, with the supporters. I am excited about how we are getting the last matches in the Premier League, being fourth, and progressing in the Europa League. Of course tomorrow we must be focused but also enjoy it. In the process of preparing for the games, I am happy.

• On whether the prospect of players being banned for a potential semi-final will play a part in his team selection: "Sorry, we are not thinking about the semi-final. We are thinking about tomorrow and playing tomorrow. Of course we want to play the best players tomorrow."

• On the fans: "Tomorrow at Villa Park I will expect the support from the supporters, they must give us the energy. It will push the players to play with energy."

Listen to live commentary of Aston Villa v Bologna on BBC Radio WM from 20:00 BST on Thursday

Listen to more from Unai Emery's news conference on BBC Sounds

Follow all of Wednesday's European news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Got a question about Villa? Get in touch here and we'll seek answers from our experts

Aston Villa are the latest Premier League club to show an interest in England goalkeeper James Trafford. The 23-year-old was signed by Manchester City last summer but was followed to the club almost immediately by Italian Gianluigi Donnarumma, 27, and should be available. (Mail, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

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Two Premier League heavyweights are set to face each other this weekend at Etihad Stadium, as Manchester City host Arsenal.

Both teams go into the fixture with different targets. For Mikel Arteta's side, it is about extending their lead at the top of the table. For Pep Guardiola's side, it is about closing the gap and keeping themselves in the title race.

It is a fixture being labelled a title decider by some, so we want to know who you want to win this Sunday's match.

Will you be cheering on the Citizens or getting behind the Gunners?

Make your selection

Hannah Gowen
Fan writer

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Missed chances in front of goal against Nottingham Forest sent Aston Villa home to the other side of the Midlands with a solitary point on Sunday.

In the final stretch of the season, opportunities to capitalise feel more precious than ever, but Villa are still finding their attacking mojo with only a handful of games remaining.

This season has been a tale of many dry spells. Since the turn of the year, Villa have only scored more than one goal in three of their league games. Europe has been a slightly different story, but generally Unai Emery has been unable to unlock the best of his team in the final third.

With so much left to play for, scuppered goal attempts feel symbolic of even bigger opportunities on the line.

The club has been without a trophy since 1996 - a three-decade silverware drought that looms large over one of the oldest and most decorated clubs in the country. For that reason, a Europa League triumph feels almost essential to reinstate Villa back amongst the real winners at the top of the English and European game.

This squad has a point to prove and there has never been a better time to cement new names in the Aston Villa history books.

There are many players in this squad who have been on a journey from the Dean Smith era, while many others have never lifted a senior trophy themselves. The incentive is there.

Find more from Hannah Gowen at UTV, external

Aston Villa head into their Europa League quarter-final second leg against Bologna on Thursday night with a healthy 3-1 first-leg lead, but will the Villans' record against Italian sides settle any nerves going into such a big game?

That question has been the subject of several submissions sent in via our Ask about Aston Villa form recently.

The club has rarely faced Italian competition in Europe, but across 10 matches against Juventus, Inter Milan and - most importantly - Bologna, they have come away with five wins, one draw and four defeats.

Last week's hard-fought victory at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara did sway the stats slightly more in Villa's favour though, with the club enjoying greater success against Serie A clubs in recent years.

Overall, Aston Villa have been particularly strong against Italian teams at Villa Park, while most of their defeats have come in Italy.

Here's a look at their overall form against each club:

• Bologna: P3 - W3, D0, L0

• Inter Milan: P4 - W2, D0, L2

• Juventus: P3 - W0, D1, L2

So the good news for Villa fans is their strongest record is against Bologna, who they have now beaten on all three occasions.

Indeed all of the pair's previous meetings have come during Unai Emery's tenure - with Villa first claiming a 2-0 Champions League league phase win in October 2024, before grabbing a 1-0 Europa League league phase victory in September 2025 and then taking a 3-1 advantage in their Europa League quarter-final first leg last week.

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We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa.

Here are some of your comments:

Nottingham Forest fans

John: A crucial point against a tough opponent. Might be the difference for staying up. Moments of good play and some not so much but it's about building points at this stage of season.

Peter: I think most Forest supporters would have taken a point against Villa before kick off. We are definitely playing better and Neco is outstanding. Hopefully Chris Wood will also find the back of the net in the next few games. My concern is - will this point be enough to stay up at the end of the season?

Kris: Bit of a stalemate, but we got away with one today. Villa missed a couple of absolute sitters, whereas we looked blunt in the final third. A point against a team challenging at the other end of the table can't be sniffed at and we're slowly pulling away.

Luke: We certainly rode our luck, but it's a hard fought and very important point. Over the course of the season this is the kind of game we would lose in heart-breaking fashion - so there are encouraging signs. Certainly not out of the woods at this point but the season could still turn out to be incredible.

Aston Villa fans

Ian: A game we should have won with two or three golden chances in the second half. Some credit to Forest though in fighting for their Premier League survival. Solid performance without hitting our best but we need to be more clinical. Let's hope it doesn't come back to haunt us.

Dean: Praise has gone to Rogers' head. He's gone from excellent to average over the last few months - giving the ball away far too much and seems generally off it.

Robbie: Villa didn't seem up for the game as much as Forest did. Morgan Rogers has not been himself for a while now, every time he got the ball he either lost it or passed it to the opposition. He's gone off the boil and needs to improve more for the trip to the World Cup, if selected.

Michael: Mixed. Technically better than Forest but gave the ball away far too often in dangerous areas - Rogers guilty on several occasions including equaliser. Equally profligate at the other end - Watkins, Rogers missing gilt-edged chances. Emery fuming in technical area! Must do better.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Morgan Rogers is attracting a lot of attention and the growing expectation is he will leave Aston Villa in the summer.

Villa will likely need to sell a star player, regardless of whether they qualify for the Champions League, and Rogers is their best asset - especially with Boubacar Kamara out injured.

An impressive World Cup would also strengthen Villa's hand but the England forward needs to show more of a clinical nature throughout the pitch.

His second-half miss showed a lack of composure which has often hampered him this season, despite having slowly become one of the Premier League's top talents.

He still has 11 goals for club and country this season but none in his past 12 appearances, and if he is to earn a big-money move then he needs to show more consistency to prove he can make the step up.

Rogers is a good player but the lapses in his game mean he is not a great player yet.

At 23, time is very much on his side and the strides he has made under manager Emery in two years have been impressive - and at £16m he has been a bargain since joining from Middlesbrough.

Villa will make a healthy profit on Rogers - but he still has more to prove.

Pundits Pat Nevin and Ben Foster join host Gabby Logan to bring you the action and talking points from Sunday's Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Crystal Palace 2-1 Newcastle United

• Nottingham Forest 1-1 Aston Villa

• Sunderland 1-0 Tottenham

• Chelsea 0-3 Manchester City