Ollie Watkins scored his 100th goal for Aston Villa as the club secured a 4-0 victory over Bologna in the Europa League quarter-final second leg at Villa Park on Thursday, April 16, 2026.
The result saw Aston Villa progress 7-1 on aggregate, setting up a semi-final tie against Nottingham Forest – the first all-English Europa League semi-final since 2009.
Watkins opened the scoring in the 16th minute after a intricate team move involving nine players and 14 passes culminated in Morgan Rogers squaring the ball for the England international to tap home.
Shortly after, Martin Vitik’s inadvertent handball in the box gave Villa a penalty, but Federico Ravaglia saved Morgan Rogers’ low effort to his right. However, Bologna’s celebration was short-lived as Emiliano Buendía pounced on the rebound to score from close range, putting Villa 2-0 ahead.
Rogers then ended his 11-match goal drought before halftime, capitalizing on hesitant defending to make it 3-0 and effectively seal the tie.
In the second half, Ezri Konsa completed the rout with a smart turn and volley to make it 4-0, rounding off a dominant performance that saw Villa barely break sweat despite the high stakes.
Unai Emery’s side had carried a 3-1 advantage from the first leg in Italy, but the emphatic home performance removed any lingering doubt about their progression.
The victory marked Watkins’ fifth goal in seven games and his tenth European goal for the club – a new Aston Villa record.
Speaking after the match, Emery praised Watkins’ impact: “For Ollie Watkins, today was a special day. We need him scoring goals, getting assists, but we need others getting their numbers as well.”
Emery, who is seeking to win the Europa League as a manager for a fifth time, acknowledged the result allows Villa to refocus on their Champions League qualification push through the Premier League, where they sit seven points clear of sixth-placed Chelsea ahead of Sunday’s visit from Sunderland.
Nottingham Forest, who edged past 10-man Porto in their own quarter-final, will host the first leg of the semi-final at the City Ground on April 30, 2026.
The all-English semi-final represents a significant milestone for English football in European competition, with Villa aiming to reach their first European final since winning the 1982 European Cup.
As Villa prepare for the Forest tie, the club will seem to maintain momentum in both competitions, with the Premier League clash against Sunderland coming just days before the first leg of the semi-final.
Fans can follow updates through the club’s official channels as Aston Villa aim to continue their impressive European run under Emery’s leadership.
