Credit: Imago

Evan Lloyd

Fri 10 April 2026 10:30, UK

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Emi Buendia was superb for Aston Villa on Thursday as they beat Bologna 3-1 to put one foot in the Europa League semi-finals.

Ezri Konsa opened the scoring just before the break when he capitalised on Federico Ravaglia’s mistake to head home, and Ollie Watkins added a second at the start of the second half.

Jonathan Rowe gave Bologna hope with a brilliant strike at the end of normal time, but Watkins restored the two-goal cushion just moments before the final whistle when Youri Tielemans’ corner fell right to his feet.

The Villans will be overwhelming favourites to see out the tie at Villa Park next week and set up a semi-final against Nottingham Forest or FC Porto.

Unai Emery will hope Villa’s form can bleed into the Premier League, too, where he hopes to see his side secure a top-five finish.

Emi Buendia impressed vs Bologna

Football Insider exclusively revealed in December that Emery wants Buendia to sign a new contract, with the Argentine’s current deal set to expire in 2027.

It has been a superb season for the winger, who has surprised many with the level of involvement he has had at Villa Park this season.

After an ACL tear that saw him spend the entirety of the 2023-24 season out injured, Buendia spent last season out on loan and failed to impress.

Ahead of this season, it was expected that the 29-year-old would be cashed in on while he still had some value.

Instead, Emery has opted to utilise the winger, and he was awarded once again for his trust by Buendia’s brilliant performance.

The Argentine claimed an assist for Watkins’ first goal and had other moments going forward, but it was his defensive work that stood out.

Buendia made three tackles, two clearances and two recoveries, winning nine of the duels he contested.

The winger also won four free-kicks, and was a constant thorn in Bologna’s side throughout the 90 minutes.

What Unai Emery said about ‘fantastic’ Buendia

Many fans were frustrated when it became clear that Buendia would be staying put at Villa Park last summer.

The 29-year-old’s presence would likely rule out another transfer, and he had already failed to prove his ability to perform for Villa.

This season has put all of those doubts to rest, however. The Argentine has seven goals and seven assists across all competitions and has been key to their success.

“In the summer, we were thinking to keep him or to leave, and he wanted to stay here with us,” Emery said in January.

Emery added: “He’s a fantastic guy, and he’s a fantastic competitive player. How he’s getting the commitment we need is like I want with every player.”