Federico Bernardeschi and Bologna saw their UEFA Europa League run come to a bruising end on Thursday night as Bologna were overwhelmed 4-0 by Aston Villa at Villa Park, crashing out of the quarter-finals with a heavy 7-1 aggregate defeat.
Trailing 3-1 from the opening leg in Italy, the Joey Saputo-owned side needed a fast start in Birmingham, but any hopes of a comeback disappeared almost immediately when Ollie Watkins struck in the 16th minute to stretch Villa’s aggregate lead. Emiliano Buendía added a second soon after, before Morgan Rogers made it 3-0 before halftime as Bologna’s defensive shape completely unraveled under Villa’s relentless pressure. Ezri Konsa then capped the rout in the second half as Unai Emery’s side marched comfortably into the semi-finals.
Bernardeschi started on the right side of Bologna’s attack and was one of Vincenzo Italiano’s few experienced outlets in a hostile atmosphere. The former Italian international tried to provide a spark by dropping deeper to collect possession and carrying the ball into Villa’s half, but he was repeatedly crowded out by Lucas Digne and the Villa midfield. With Bologna struggling to hold possession for long stretches, Bernardeschi was often forced into isolated dribbles rather than dangerous final-third combinations.
The 32-year-old worked tirelessly without the ball, tracking back to help João Mário defensively, but the match quickly became damage limitation for the visitors as Villa’s movement exposed Bologna across the pitch. Bernardeschi’s frustration was visible as the night wore on, with the Italian side unable to create the sustained attacking pressure needed to threaten a comeback.
For Bologna, reaching the Europa League quarter-finals had already marked a historic run, but this defeat served as a harsh reminder of the gap that still exists at the latter stages of European competition. For Bernardeschi, it was a difficult night in England — one that ended with Bologna’s dream of a first major European semifinal slipping away in emphatic fashion.