Veravencenzo Italiano, heading to Bologna for an away game, calls on the team to prove its worth and strength.

Bologna will host Premier League side Aston Villa in the first leg of the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League quarter-finals. Vincenzo Itagiano stated that his team must prove their worth and enter the match with confidence.

With goals from João Mário and Jonathan Ro, Bologna secured a 2-1 away victory against Cremona in the earlier Serie A match, successfully advancing to their upcoming game against Aston Villa.

Bologna coach Vincenzo Itagiano said, "Everyone knows how complicated this match is, but we must prove our worth, strength, and ability. We know this opponent because we have played against them twice before, but every match has a different story."

“Tomorrow’s match is very important because the first leg will set the stage for the second leg. We have every chance to do that. We must seize the opportunity because reaching the quarterfinals is a huge honor in itself. Against Cremona, we not only got the result but also played very well, so I hope to continue that form in tomorrow’s tough match.”

Vincenzo Itagiano emphasized, "I hope the fans will continue to stand with us, just as I hoped at the beginning of the season. I'll give you an example of Orsolini; he missed a penalty but still received applause. That kind of atmosphere must be protected. In terms of strength, Aston Villa is indeed superior to us, but with everyone's help, we can defy the predictions."

In their head-to-head record, Bologna has been defeated twice in recent European competitions against Aston Villa, so they are not at a psychological advantage.

Vincenzo Italiano said, "The previous two encounters were 'qualifying' matches, but this time we will play a 180-minute game, and anything can happen. We know their strengths and weaknesses. In the past, we always met them at the beginning of the season, but now it's nearing the end of the season."

“They have strong individual abilities and overall strength. We need an extraordinary performance, but this match will definitely be different from the previous two encounters.”

Image source: Internet