Aston Villa will be looking to build on their recent 3-1 win over Fulham as they prepare to face Bologna in a crucial Champions League match. The Villans, who stunned Bayern Munich in their first home game of the group stage, will be aiming to maintain their strong form and keep the momentum going. Ollie Watkins, who found the net in the victory at Craven Cottage, will be one to watch, and with no new injury concerns, Unai Emery’s side will be confident heading into this clash.
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Bologna, meanwhile, struggled in their last outing against Liverpool at Anfield, failing to come away with any points. Known for their inconsistent performances away from home, the Rossoblu face a tough task at Villa Park. With several key players like Ferguson, Erlic, Ndoye, El Azzouzi, and Cambiaghi out due to injuries, Bologna will need to find a way to cope with a formidable Aston Villa side. The match is scheduled for October 22, 2024, at 20:00.
Aston Villa vs Bologna: Important H2H Stats
As Aston Villa get set to host Bologna at Villa Park, here are the key head-to-head (H2H) stats and performance insights ahead of this Champions League encounter:
- Current League Positions: Aston Villa are currently in 6th position in their domestic league, indicating solid form coming into this clash. Bologna, meanwhile, have struggled to make a significant impact away from home.
- Key Players:
- Aston Villa: Pau Torres has been an important playmaker for Villa, contributing 1 assist this season. His ability to create opportunities will be vital in breaking down Bologna’s defense.
- Bologna: Bologna will be looking to exploit any weaknesses, but they will need to watch out for disciplinary concerns. Sam Beukema, who has 1 yellow card, is a player who could be targeted for his aggressive style of play.
- Disciplinary Concerns:
- Aston Villa: Jhon Durán has the most cards for Aston Villa this season, with 1 yellow card. While not a major concern, maintaining discipline will be essential, especially if the game gets physical.
- Bologna: Similarly, Sam Beukema has also been booked 1 time, making him a player to watch in case the match becomes heated.
- Scoring and Conceding Patterns:
- Aston Villa: The Villans are most dangerous late in matches, scoring 50% of their goals between 75-90 minutes. This trend suggests they often finish games strongly, which could be a decisive factor if the match remains close.
- Bologna: While Bologna have managed to control possession slightly better, averaging 48.00% compared to Villa’s 42.00%, their ability to convert this control into goals remains questionable.
- Possession and Corners:
- Possession Stats: Bologna have a slight edge in possession, with an average of 48.00% compared to Aston Villa’s 42.00%. This suggests Bologna may attempt to control the tempo, but Villa’s counter-attacking strength could pose a threat.
- Corners: Bologna are more active in generating set-piece opportunities, averaging 5.50 corners per match compared to Aston Villa’s 3.50. This could provide Bologna with chances to break the deadlock if they can exploit these set pieces effectively.
- Both Teams to Score (BTTS) Stats: Neither team has seen BTTS in their matches so far this season (0% for both), suggesting a defensive approach might be favored, and goals could be at a premium.
These key H2H stats indicate that while Bologna might try to control possession, Aston Villa’s late-game scoring ability and home advantage could see them come out on top. With Villa’s strong finish in matches and Bologna’s vulnerability on the road, the late stages of the game could be particularly critical.
Aston Villa Vs Bologna Season Stats
| Performance Summary | Aston Villa | Bologna |
|---|---|---|
| Total Wins | 2 | 0 |
| Home Wins | 1 | 0 |
| Away Wins | 1 | 0 |
| Total Draws | 0 | 1 |
| Home Draws | 0 | 1 |
| Away Draws | 0 | 0 |
| Total Lost | 0 | 1 |
| Home Losses | 0 | 0 |
| Away Losses | 0 | 1 |
| Total Goals For | 4 | 0 |
| Home Goals For | 1 | 0 |
| Away Goals For | 3 | 0 |
| Total Goals Against | 0 | 2 |
| Home Goals Against | 0 | 0 |
| Away Goals Against | 0 | 2 |
| Total Clean Sheet | 2 | 1 |
| Home Clean Sheet | 1 | 1 |
| Away Clean Sheet | 1 | 0 |
| Total Failed To Score | 0 | 2 |
| Home Failed To Score | 0 | 1 |
| Away Failed To Score | 0 | 1 |
| Total Av Goals Scored | 2 | 0 |
| Home Av Goals Scored | 1 | 0 |
| Away Av Goals Scored | 3 | 0 |
| Total Av Goals Conceded | 0 | 1 |
| Home Av Goals Conceded | 0 | 0 |
| Away Av Goals Conceded | 0 | 2 |
| Total 1st Goal Scored | 53m | 0m |
| Home 1st Goal Scored | 79m | 0m |
| Away 1st Goal Scored | 27m | 0m |
| Total 1st Goal Conceded | 0m | 11m |
| Home 1st Goal Conceded | 0m | 11m |
| Away 1st Goal Conceded | 0m | 0m |
| Goals Scoring Minutes | Aston Villa | Bologna |
|---|---|---|
| 0-15 | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) |
| 15-30 | 1 (25%) | 0 (0%) |
| 30-45 | 1 (25%) | 0 (0%) |
| 45-60 | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) |
| 60-75 | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) |
| 75-90 | 2 (50%) | 0 (0%) |
| Goals Conceded Minutes | Aston Villa | Bologna |
|---|---|---|
| 0-15 | 0 (0%) | 1 (50%) |
| 15-30 | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) |
| 30-45 | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) |
| 45-60 | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) |
| 60-75 | 0 (0%) | 1 (50%) |
| 75-90 | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) |
| Combined Match Stats | Aston Villa | Bologna |
|---|---|---|
| Attacks | 166 | 194 |
| Dangerous Attacks | 66 | 91 |
| Av Possession Percent | 42.00 | 48.00 |
| Fouls | 20 | 21 |
| Av Fouls Per Game | 10.00 | 10.50 |
| Offside | 2 | 5 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 0 |
| Yellow Cards | 4 | 4 |
| Shots Blocked | 6 | 9 |
| Shots Off Target | 11 | 16 |
| Av Shots Off Target | 5.50 | 8.00 |
| Shots On Target | 9 | 7 |
| Av Shots On Target | 4.50 | 3.50 |
| Total Corners | 7 | 11 |
| Av Corners | 3.50 | 5.50 |
| BTTS | 0 | 0 |
| Av Player Rating Per Match | 7.15 | 6.61 |
| Tackles | 40 | 35 |
| Total Match Goals Percentages | Aston Villa | Bologna | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | Away | Home | Away | |
| Over 0.5 | 100 | 100 | 0 | 100 |
| Over 1.5 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 100 |
| Over 2.5 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| Over 3.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Over 4.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Over 5.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Under 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 |
| Under 1.5 | 100 | 0 | 100 | 0 |
| Under 2.5 | 100 | 0 | 100 | 100 |
| Under 3.5 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Under 4.5 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Under 5.5 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
Aston Villa vs Bologna Prediction
Based on current form and key stats, Aston Villa head into this match as favorites, especially with the advantage of playing at Villa Park. The Villans have been in solid form recently, highlighted by their 3-1 win over Fulham and an impressive victory against Bayern Munich earlier in the Champions League. With no new injury concerns, and players like Ollie Watkins and Pau Torres in good form, Villa have the quality to dominate this encounter. Their tendency to score late in games (50% of their goals between 75-90 minutes) suggests they are capable of maintaining pressure throughout the match.
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Bologna, on the other hand, have struggled away from home and are coming off a disappointing defeat to Liverpool. With several key players missing due to injuries, including Ferguson, Erlic, and Ndoye, the Italian side may find it difficult to contain Aston Villa’s attacking threat. Although they have shown an ability to control possession (48.00%), converting that into goals against a well-organized Villa defense could be a challenge. Additionally, their 0% BTTS stat this season suggests they might struggle to find the back of the net if Villa maintain their defensive solidity.
Given Villa’s strong home record, ability to score late, and Bologna’s recent struggles, a home win appears to be the most likely outcome.
Predicted Scoreline: Aston Villa 2-0 Bologna
Expect a disciplined and controlled performance from Aston Villa. They may take time to break down Bologna’s defense, but their persistence should see them score, especially in the latter stages of the match. With the visitors lacking firepower and dealing with key absences, Villa should be able to secure a comfortable win to bolster their Champions League campaign.