Credit: Imago

Cameron Smith

Thu 16 April 2026 7:00, UK

Aston Villa are back involved in Europa League action on Thursday evening, as they welcome Bologna to Villa Park again.

Unai Emery’s side are looking to secure their pathway to the semi-finals after securing a big 3-1 win in Emilia-Romagna last week.

Following the midweek trip to Italy, the Villans faced Nottingham Forest, playing out a 1-1 draw at the City Ground to keep them well in the hunt for a Champions League spot.

Fighting on two fronts, Emery will be keen to keep the clash as simple as possible, avoiding any major complications ahead of the season’s crunch point.

Looking ahead to the quarter-final, Villa News brings you everything that you need to know.

How to watch Aston Villa vs Bologna

Thursday’s bout will be the third between the two sides this season, with the Villans picking up wins in both so far.

Returning from the international break in recent weeks, the B6 outfit are looking to continue building form after a poor run through February and early March.

With Celta Vigo’s second leg with Freiburg playing out the early kick-off, Villa’s tie takes place at the same time as the two remaining quarter-finals: Nottingham Forest versus Porto and Real Betis against Braga.

As well as being shown on TNT Sports 2, fans watching from home will be able to catch the action on HBO Max, with the platform having taken over from Discovery Plus regarding TNT’s live coverage.

Viewers will be able to use their existing TNT Sport credentials from Discovery Plus and stream the match via the HBO app or website.

Aston Villa to continue building momentum ahead of season’s end

On the eve of the March international break, Emery’s side were able to get back to winning ways with a 2-0 triumph against West Ham.

This started the turnaround after a difficult period, exacerbated by the absences of Youri Tielemans and John McGinn.

After missing out on Champions League football last term, the Villans are desperate to return to Europe’s premier competition, and now need to continue finding momentum as they look to secure that return.

Carrying a two-goal lead, the chance is there for Emery’s side to further build momentum, potentially catching the Rossoblu on the break as they look to spark a comeback.

With a hectic schedule until the end of the campaign, the Villans have not got too much time to think between matches – emphasising just how important it is for them to avoid any major complications as they look to secure their semi-final spot on Thursday.