John McGinn makes Aston Villa history after unique achievement vs Bologna
John McGinn was on target for Aston Villa in their 1-0 win against Bologna in the Europa League on Thursday.
McGinn was excellent in Aston Villa’s win against Bologna, and captained them to yet another win in European competition.
Everton and Newcastle both showed interest in McGinn over the summer, but the Villans were adamant they would keep the midfielder after seven years of service.
The decision appears to be paying off, with the Scottish midfielder helping them through some difficult times at the start of the 2025/26 campaign.
John McGinn the first Aston Villa player to score in all three European competitions
Morgan Rogers struggled again for Aston Villa in the Europa League tie, and the Villa Park faithful cheered ironically when Rogers completed a pass in the 88th minute.
On the wing, Donyell Malen was more positive as he caused Bologna problems after a poor start to the season.
However, McGinn was the standout, with his long-range strike the only goal of the game.
In netting the goal, the Scottish midfielder became the first player to score in each of the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League competitions for Aston Villa.
- McGinn has scored the most goals from outside the box (4) in major European competitions since the start of the 2023-24 campaign
- The midfielder’s contract runs until 2027
The Villans still didn’t look good in front of goal, with Ollie Watkins missing from the penalty spot.
It was an opportunity to score only Aston Villa’s third goal of the season, but there is hope that the win will inspire some confidence into the players.
- Read more: Owen Hargreaves loves transfer Aston Villa have pulled off, he’ll be as good as Martin Odegaard
Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers to be dropped vs Fulham
Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho have already shown that they can offer more than what Watkins and Rogers have in a Villa shirt this season.
Following the summer interest in the attacking duo, it’s likely that they are jaded and could do with some time on the sidelines.
Their performances against Bologna were well below par and not what supporters have come to expect of them since they arrived at Villa Park.
In a period where the Villans are struggling for goals, they need movement in forward positions for their midfielders and wingers to pick out important passes.
It will be interesting to see how Unai Emery’s side lines up against Fulham, with time running out for Villa to get a result.
Enjoyed this article? Stay connected with all the latest Aston Villa news, updates, and behind-the-scenes content by following us on our new Instagram account – @villanews247