Bologna vs Aston Villa Europa League quarter-final preview: Where to watch, predicted line-ups

Bologna and Aston Villa are preparing to face off for a second time this season in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League quarter-final tie.

Where to watch the game on TV

Fans can find their local UEFA Europa League broadcast partner(s) here.

What you need to know

Bologna and Aston Villa kicked off their league phase campaigns with a Birmingham showdown, John McGinn's 13th-minute finish deciding a close encounter, and they meet again in the last 8 after impressing against Roma and Lille respectively.

Vincenzo Italiano's men showed they were well-equipped to deal with the chaos that knockout football frequently induces in that round of 16 tie, winning a 4-3 second-leg thriller in Rome after extra time. For the Villans, it was all about confidence and control – their defence was unbreached across the two legs while Ollie Watkins, Leon Bailey and McGinn got on the scoresheet.

Though they also met in last season's Champions League, this is the first time Villa have travelled to Bologna in UEFA competition, with that league phase meeting last season – a 2-0 Villa win – also taking place at Villa Park.

Possible line-ups

Bologna: To follow

Aston Villa: To follow

Form guide

Bologna

Form: WLWWDL (most recent first)
Latest: Cremonese 1-2 Bologna, 05/04, Italian Serie A

Aston Villa

Form: WWLWLL
Latest: Aston Villa 2-0 West Ham, 22/03, English Premier League

Views from the camps

Vincenzo Italiano, Bologna coach: "I think we defeated a team who are undoubtedly stronger than us. Now we face Aston Villa again, a team we've faced twice in the last two seasons. We will be the underdogs again but we will try to surprise again."

Unai Emery, Aston Villa coach: "For me, it's now the moment and the future [that we're focused on] and how we can add more victories."

Reporter's view

Paolo Menicucci, Bologna reporter

To follow