Aston Villa Secures First Season Win Over Bologna in Europa League

Aston Villa secured their first win of the 2025 season with a 1-0 victory over Bologna in their Europa League opener, thanks to John McGinn's first-half strike at Villa Park. The win was a significant morale boost amid a difficult start to the season, with Villa having scored only twice in their previous six games and struggling in the Premier League. Manager Unai Emery, aiming to win the Europa League for a fifth time, made several tactical changes, including benching Ollie Watkins, who later missed a penalty, continuing his goal drought this season. Despite a hard-fought contest and strong defensive displays from both teams, Villa maintained their European home unbeaten streak, now at seven matches, marking one of their best runs in Europe. Meanwhile, Villa's recent internal changes, including the departure of their football operations president Monchi, added to the pressure, but the team’s performance provided fans some relief and optimism. In a related match, Genk defeated 10-man Rangers 1-0 at Ibrox, further intensifying scrutiny on Rangers’ manager Russell Martin following his team's disappointing European start.