Aston Villa are aiming to continue their hugely impressive start to the 2024/2025 season when they host Italian side Bologna in the Champions League on Tuesday night. Unai Emery's side have lost just once this term - a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Premier League - and have shown their worth in the Champions League with victories over Young Boys and Bayern Munich. The Midlands club are currently sixth in the league phase table and will want to secure a third successive European win.
Bologna upset the odds to qualify for the Champions League but have endured a tough start to the season. Following the departure of former manager Thiago Motta, the Serie A side have secured just one victory in all competitions. However, they have been tough to beat, with only two defeats to their name. According to 90min, this will be the first competitive fixture between Aston Villa and Bologna.
In terms of lineups, Aston Villa welcomed back John McGinn, who made a return off the bench during the weekend's 3-1 win over Fulham after a month on the sidelines. Boubacar Kamara is also back in contention after being absent since February. Tyrone Mings may feature in the squad after over a year out of action, though Robin Olsen will miss out due to a head injury.
Emery has been reluctant to make too many alterations between Premier League and Champions League games this season, suggesting a similar lineup to the one that won at Craven Cottage may be fielded. The predicted Aston Villa lineup vs Bologna (4-2-3-1) is: Martinez; Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Digne; Onana, Tielemans; Bailey, Rogers, Ramsey; Watkins.
On the other hand, Bologna face numerous injury concerns, with Villa loanee Samuel Iling-Junior among the absentees. He is joined by Michel Aebischer, Martin Erlic, and Lewis Ferguson on the treatment table. Dan Ndoye, who troubled Liverpool in their last matchup, could make a return, alongside Moroccan defender Oussama El Azzouzi.
Bologna have been draw specialists this season, with seven of their nine matches ending in stalemate. Nonetheless, they have faced a relatively easy run of fixtures against weaker sides in Serie A. Despite showing some resilience against Liverpool, it appears unlikely that the Italian side will fare better in England, having scored just nine times in eight Serie A matches. In contrast, Villa find themselves in tremendous form, seamlessly juggling European football and the Premier League, showcasing their attacking prowess and securing clean sheets against both Bayern Munich and Manchester United in two of their last three fixtures.