Aston Villa Hosts Bologna in 2025 Europa League Opener

BIRMINGHAM, England — Aston Villa is set to face Serie A side Bologna on Thursday, September 25, 2025, at Villa Park for their first match of the UEFA Europa League group stage. Both teams are looking for a boost after shaky starts to their respective seasons.

Aston Villa currently sits at 18th in the Premier League standings, with just three points from five matches. They suffered a setback in the Carabao Cup, losing on penalties to Brentford last week. Villa head coach Unai Emery has expressed frustration over his team’s performance, emphasizing the need to regain their identity. “We have to recover our personality, confidence and style,” he said after a recent draw.

Bologna, on the other hand, has had a mixed start to their Serie A campaign, holding 11th place with six points after two wins and two losses. They come into this match hoping to build momentum from recent performances.

The teams met last season in the group stage, where Aston Villa claimed a 2-0 victory at Villa Park. However, injuries could impact both squads in this matchup.

Villa will be without key players Amadou Onana and Youri Tielemans due to injuries, while Boubacar Kamara is a doubt for the match. The absence of first-choice players adds pressure on the remaining squad members. Bologna is also missing several players including star forward Ciro Immobile.

The match will kick off at 3 PM ET and will be broadcast live on DAZN in the U.S. Fans planning to watch from abroad may need to utilize a virtual private network (VPN) to access streaming services.

As both teams strive for an early win in the group stage, the stakes are high at Villa Park.