Aston Villa will be delighted to be back in action after the international break and even more pleased to be doing it in the Europa League - a competition Unai Emery knows better than most.
With Bologna awaiting, the Villans have the chance to move one step closer to the final four and one step closer to an alternative route into the Champions League.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery reacts
Before they can even begin dreaming about another European tour, however, Emery has some incredibly important tactical decisions to make in Italy.
How Aston Villa could hurt Bologna
It's not a routine test against Bologna. After all, the Serie A side sit eighth in Italy and are likely to match up to Villa's 4-2-3-1 system to go man for man.
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The advantage that Emery's side have is that they're still one of the most free-flowing sides in the Premier League and have players like Morgan Rogers who thrive one-on-one.
The key will simply be supplying Rogers. It's something that Aston Villa have failed to do in the last two months, with the midfielder's numbers dropping and his side threatening to drop out of the top four as a result.
|Morgan Rogers this season|
|Metric|First 17 PL games|Last 14 PL games|
|---|
|Goals|7|1|
|Assists|3|2|
The 23-year-old didn't exactly enjoy a return to form on England duty, either. In fact, it was a lot of the same problems. The supply line wasn't there and nor was the space for Rogers to drive in possession.
Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers
The big concern for Emery is that Bologna will take a similarly compact approach and limit Rogers as well as Villa as a result.
It's a problem that the Spaniard has had time to think about, however, and the reintroduction of one star man is likely to make all the difference for the Villans.
Emery must unleash Youri Tielemans
Aston Villa are one of the most organised sides in English football. They so often get the balance right to provide an impressive spectacle. But when a choir is without its conductor, rhythm begins to fall short and out-of-tune instruments begin to become more and more obvious.
Without Youri Tielemans in the last 11 games, Aston Villa have gone from the perfect symphony to the type of crashing noise only familiar with beginners. And Emery is certainly no beginner.
Tielemans-Gordon-Villa-Newcastle
With Tielemans finally back from injury, Rogers has his supply line back. Aston Villa have their control back and Emery has his personal metronome back. The Belgian is that important in the Midlands.
Aston Villa without Tielemans 25/26 (PL)
Games
Wins
Draws
Defeats
Having won less than half their games without Tielemans this season, it's clear that the midfielder is quickly becoming Emery's most important player at Villa Park in similar fashion to how Jack Grealish became crucial. Like Grealish, he's their star man, the person who makes the magic happen.
If the Villans are to secure Champions League qualification, then his return is likely to play a huge part. His composure in possession, combined with the fact that he averages almost two chances created per game, should also unleash the best version of Rogers.
What's more, if Bologna go man-to-man, then that's where the midfielder could create plenty of problems. Tielemans is one of the most intelligent midfielders in the Premier League and with 2.86 accurate long balls per game, Bologna's tactic will almost dare the Belgian to show off that passing range.
Rogers will of course benefit from that, but so will Ollie Watkins. The forward hasn't had the easiest season, losing his England place as a result, but some top quality service could spark some consistent form at a crucial time.
Everything good runs through Tielemans in this Villa side and that hasn't been more obvious than in his absence.
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