Jadon Sancho will miss Aston Villa's match against Bologna on Thursday night
Aston Villa's Jadon Sancho
Aston Villa's Jadon Sancho(Image: Getty Images)
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Aston Villa manager Unai Emery expects that Jadon Sancho will be sidelined for up to two weeks with a shoulder injury.
The winger suffered the problem during Villa’s friendly with Elche in Spain during the March international break.
He fell awkwardly and was forced off with his shoulder in a sling, as Villa lost the game 2-1.
Sancho grabbed an assist in Villa’s last match, played 17 days ago against West Ham, with the loanee helping Emery’s side to a crucial 2-0 win.
Youri Tielemans returned to action in that match, which softened the blow of losing Sancho, given that he could play in a more advanced role and John McGinn shuffle to the right.
“Sancho is not going to be out for a long time, but he is still out,” Emery said ahead of facing Bologna. “In a few days or one or two weeks he is coming back. He is progressing well. He is not available for tomorrow.”
Villa are looking to take a result back to Birmingham on Thursday night, when they face Bologna for a second time this season.
The Italian club are winless in their five encounters with English clubs in UEFA competition, losing the last four. The draw came in their only previous contest at home, 2-2 against Fulham in the 2002 UEFA Intertoto Cup final first leg.
However, Bologna are unbeaten in 11 Europa League games, which is their longest run without defeat in UEFA competition stretching back to the 1-0 Matchday 1 loss against Villa.
Villa, meanwhile, have lost all three fixtures against Italian teams in Italy, scoring one goal and conceding seven.
They’ve won 13 of their last 15 European matches including seven in a row - the longest victorious sequence in the club's history.
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