Last Updated on 08/04/2026 by Andy Clark
Aston Villa travel to Italy to face Bologna in the first leg of this Europa League quarter-final match up. Villa are fourth in the Premier League, while Bologna are eighth in Serie A, eight points behind Atalanta in seventh.
Bologna are in a good run of form, with seven wins in their last 10 in all competitions. In that time, they have lost only two and drawn one.
Villa are fourth in the Premier League and are only one point behind Manchester United in third. They come into this with four wins in their last 10 competitive matches, and following a defeat to Elche in a friendly two weeks ago in their last game.
Our four-leg bet builder is priced at 20/1 with BetMGM, featuring both teams to score, a shots on target selection and a card pick.
Bologna vs Aston Villa Bet Builder — 20/1 with BetMGM
Free Bets for Bologna vs Aston Villa
Key Stats — Bologna vs Aston Villa
- Bologna have won seven of their last 10 in all competitions, losing only two in that run
- Bologna have scored 40 goals in 31 Serie A matches and have found the net in 17 of their last 20 matches across all competitions
- Aston Villa have scored 42 goals in 31 Premier League matches and have won their last two competitive fixtures — 2-0 victories over Lille and West Ham
- Tammy Abraham averages two shots on target per Europa League game, with eight in four appearances since returning to Villa
- Lewis Ferguson has been carded 10 times in all competitions this season and averages more than two fouls per Europa League game, with 26 in 12 appearances
- Both teams have scored in five of Villa’s last 10 matches, with Villa scoring in nine of those 10
Bologna Form and Match Preview
Bologna are in a good run of form, with seven wins in their last 10 in all competitions. In that time, they have lost only two and drawn one.
Vincenzo Italiano’s side have been one of the surprise packages in European football this season, and their form heading into this quarter final is impressive. Seven wins in 10, a consistent scoring record and the home advantage of the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara make them a genuine threat against any visiting side. That said, the quality difference between Serie A’s eighth-placed side and a Premier League outfit pushing for the top four is meaningful, and Villa will back themselves to impose their quality over 90 minutes.
Aston Villa Form and Match Preview
Villa are fourth in the Premier League and are only one point behind Manchester United in third. They come into this with four wins in their last 10 competitive matches, and following a defeat to Elche in a friendly two weeks ago in their last game.
Unai Emery’s side head to Bologna with a top four place very much within their grasp domestically, and the Europa League represents a genuine opportunity to win silverware. Back-to-back 2-0 wins over Lille and West Ham in their most recent competitive outings suggest they are building momentum at the right time, and with Tammy Abraham hitting form since his return from Besiktas, Villa carry a real attacking threat. The friendly defeat to Elche should not read too much into — Emery will have been managing minutes — and this squad has the depth and quality to handle a competitive European away fixture.
Bologna vs Aston Villa Betting Tips
- Aston Villa to win — 11/8
- Both teams to score — 5/6
- Tammy Abraham over 0.5 shots on target — 4/7
- Lewis Ferguson to be booked — 10/3
Combined odds: 20/1 with BetMGM
Best Bet Builder Tip — Aston Villa to Win — 11/8
Despite Bologna’s impressive run of form, I’m backing Premier League Villa to come out on top in Italy on Thursday evening. I think Bologna have a good side with good players, but there is more quality in the players within Villa’s squad. The Villans have won their last two competitive matches – both 2-0 victories at home to Lille and West Ham. I think they’ll have too much for Bologna here, and I’m backing them to win.
Both Teams to Score — 5/6
Because of Bologna’s good form, odds of 5/6 are difficult to ignore for both teams to score. The Italian side have scored a respectable 40 goals in 31 Serie A matches so far this season, with a goal in 17 of their last 20 matches in all competitions. They’ve conceded 37 in the league too. For Villa, they’ve managed 42 goals in 31 Premier League matches so far this season, conceding 37. Both teams have scored in five of their last 10, with Villa on the scoresheet on nine occasions in that time. I think both teams to score is a good bet here.
Tammy Abraham Over 0.5 Shots on Target — 4/7
Tammy Abraham has bagged three goals in all competitions since making his return to Aston Villa in January from Turkish side Besiktas. The striker has bagged one in the league, one in the Europa League and one in the FA Cup so far. In the Europa League, where he has made four appearances this season, Abraham has had eight shots on target, an average of two per game. I think he will keep that average up here, and will have at least one shot on target.
Alternative Bet — Tammy Abraham Over 1.5 Shots on Target (16/5)
Taking Abraham to have over 1.5 shots on target instead of 0.5 doubles the odds of this bet builder to 40/1 with BetMGM. With an average of two shots on target per game in the Europa League, this is a solid alternative bet.
Lewis Ferguson to Be Booked — 10/3
Scotsman Lewis Ferguson is great odds to be carded at 10/3. The Bologna captain has been carded 10 times in all competitions this season, with seven yellows and one red card in the league, and two yellow cards in the Europa League. In Europe this season, he has made a total of 26 fouls in just 12 appearances, giving him an average of more than two per game. As he comes up against the likes of John McGinn and Morgan Rogers on Thursday, I expect him to make a couple of fouls at least, and wouldn’t be surprised to see him carded for an 11th time this season.
Bologna vs Aston Villa Bet Builder Summary
| Selection | Odds |
|---|---|
| Aston Villa to win | 11/8 |
| Both teams to score | 5/6 |
| Tammy Abraham over 0.5 shots on target | 4/7 |
| Lewis Ferguson to be booked | 10/3 |
| Combined odds | 20/1 with BetMGM |
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Jake has been on the thatsagoal.com team for over 5 years, and he is the person responsible for the bet builders across the Premier League and Champions League. His background in journalism means the articles are perfectly written, and each prediction is explained with stats and reasoning to back them up. There have been countless winners from Jake, including a 66/1 win in the FA Cup final when Manchester City were beaten by Crystal Palace.