Unai Emery has performed near miracles since taking over at Aston Villa but if he can find a way to keep both Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran happy, it might be his greatest trick yet.
Duran had just scored the decisive second goal to make it three wins from three in the Champions League for Aston Villa when he was replaced by Watkins before the game had restarted. Watkins did not exactly looked thrilled when his team-mate scored but that reaction was nothing compared to Duran’s. The Colombian took out his frustration on the seats in front of him, kicking and punching the upholstery before he was placated by a member of Emery’s staff. With 20 minutes left, Duran headed down the tunnel.
Duran is one of those players who attracts the spotlight. He signed a new deal with a huge pay rise recently but that is unlikely to placate Duran if he returns to the bench for Saturday’s clash with Bournemouth. This was his seventh goal of the campaign, while Watkins has five.
Emery can play them both together but that means shifting his most effective attacker – Morgan Rogers. Rogers has been outstanding alongside both Watkins and Duran and though he can also operate wide, Emery will be reluctant to take him from the centre.
Emery is one of the best-paid managers in the world precisely because Villa believe he can solve these posers. And with good reason: Villa are fourth in the Premier League and two more wins from their remaining group games may be enough to see them into the Champions League last 16 without the need for a play-off.
Unai Emery masterminded yet another win in the Champions League as Aston Villa maintained their perfect start to the campaign
John McGinn scored on his first start since returning from injury to put Aston Villa ahead against Bologna
The Colombian netted his seventh goal of the campaign after being handed the start by Unai Emery
Villa were nearly off to a flier when Leon Bailey reached the touchline but his cut-back was miskicked by Morgan Rogers and Duran thrashed the loose ball goalwards only for his effort to be blocked.
At the other end, Swiss attacker Dan Ndoye drifted inside Ezri Konsa and found Thijs Dallinga, who forced Emi Martinez to make an important save.
After that Villa had the majority of the play but before the break, they could not make their fine approach work count. John McGinn sent Ian Maatsen away down the left and though the cross was poor, it eventually broke to Amadou Onana to fire in a shot from distance that was blocked by Jhon Lucumi.
Bologna goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski was keeping his team alive. He pushed away Duran’s header from Youri Tielemans’ corner and then did well to reach McGinn’s effort that looked bound for the bottom corner. McGinn and Maatsen were combining well on the left and Bologna were struggling to contain them, though Dallinga had a second effort kept out by Martinez, sparing Bailey’s blushes after the winger gave the ball away.
Another slick Villa move had Bologna at full stretch and once more Lucumi bailed them out with a key block to intercept Tielemans’ volley from distance.
Rogers had two chances to put Villa in front in first-half stoppage time. First he took a pass from Duran and was just off target from 25 yards, and then he was denied by Skorupski after nutmegging Lucumi and charging on goal.
Although the home fans were engrossed in the action, they gave one of the loudest cheers of the first half when Tyrone Mings left the bench to warm up. This was the England defender’s first appearance in a matchday squad since the opening day of last season, his 14-month absence due to a serious knee injury finally at an end.
The home side doubled their lead shortly after the hour with a well-taken goal from John Duran
Villa boss Unai Emery made a change at the start of the second half, sending on Ross Barkley for Amadou Onana, who had seemed to be feeling discomfort in a hamstring during the opening period. Bologna made a change of their own as Jens Odgaard replaced Riccardo Orsolini, who had struggled with the McGinn/Maatsen combination before the break.
Now attacking the Holte End, Villa kept the tempo high. Maatsen’s clipped ball into the boss was headed down by Ezri Konsa and Bailey really should have hit the dropping ball on target.
Ndoye had been Bologna’s brightest attacker and early on he made another chance for Posch. The full-back wasted an excellent position by drilling wide from 20 yards.
Villa were hoping their greater physical power would eventually bring its rewards. Konsa was hacked down by former Nottingham Forest midfielder Remo Freuler, sparking a brief tiff between Emery and opposite number Vincenzo Italiano. The dispute was resolved with a handshake but perhaps Italiano would have wished he had not been so friendly when he watched what happened next.
McGinn’s free-kick from the left was flighted perfectly and caused Skorupski to hesitate. With the Pole in no man’s land, the delivery missed everyone in the middle but crept into the far corner.
Even the person controlling the scoreboard was caught up in the excitement. The display on the big screen briefly signalled 2-0 to Villa, with both awarded to McGinn. A VAR check threatened to confuse the issue once again though to Villa’s relief, the ball was deemed not to have made contact with Barkley’s hand on the way through.
Moments later Emery prepared a triple change, with Watkins, Jacob Ramsey and Jaden Philogene for emerging from the bench. Yet as they waited in the technical area, Duran made his mark. He drifted in front of Lucumi and hooked Rogers’ cross into the far corner from close range. It was to be his final contribution as Emery made the triple change before the restart, with McGinn and Bailey also coming off.