Aston Villa’s manager, Unai Emery, returns to the Europa League with hopes that the competition can provide some relief for the struggling Premier League team. Known for his impressive record in the Europa League with four titles, Emery seeks to harness his experience as Villa hosts Bologna on Thursday in their opening match of the tournament. Villa has had a challenging start to their domestic season, managing only three points with no wins and a mere two goals from 64 attempts, resulting in a 3.1% conversion rate — the lowest in the Premier League this season.
Despite the Premier League difficulties, Emery’s command in the Europa League offers a glimmer of hope. He has managed more games, secured more wins, and earned the most titles in the competition’s history. Villa’s return to the competition was almost derailed following a controversial game against Manchester United last season, which cost them a spot in the Champions League.
Villa’s opponents, Bologna, also have their eyes set on European success after failing to progress beyond the league phase of last season’s Champions League. Their qualification for this Europa League campaign came on the back of their Coppa Italia victory. Bologna aims to build on a recent victory against Genoa, hoping to break their poor run against English teams and in European fixtures in general. Their last significant success in such competitions came in 1967 against Leeds United.
Both teams enlist notable players in their lineups, but will face the match with key absences due to injuries. With Emery’s prowess in the Europa League at the helm, Villa are favored, according to Opta predictions, where they have a 60.8% chance of victory in simulations. This encounter between the two teams is set to be a fascinating clash, with Villa looking to reignite their form, backed by Emery’s strategic acumen in this favored competition.