Aston Villa manager Unai Emery admits their Europa League quarter-final tie tonight against Bologna is far from finished.
Villa lead 3-1 from the first meeting in Italy, where Ollie Watkins scored twice after Ezri Konsa had opened the scoring. Jonathan Rowe netted for Bologna to keep the tie alive ahead of the return fixture.
Speaking before the decisive clash, Emery admitted the result flattered his side after a mixed performance away from home.
“The result was much better than the match we played in the first half,” Emery said. “But in the second half it was completely different.”
Villa improved significantly after the break, with Emery pleased by the way his players took control and responded in attack.
“We dominated them and controlled the game like we planned. We were comfortable and reacted well offensively when they scored,” he explained.
However, the Spaniard made it clear his players must expect a much tougher test in Birmingham, with Bologna likely to press aggressively in search of a comeback.
“In the second leg they are going to try to suppress us,” Emery added. “My message in the dressing room is to keep playing with our plan, but keep respecting them.”
With a place in the semi-finals on the line tonight, Emery’s message was simple: stay focused, respect the opponent, and finish the job.
