Jonathan Rowe has insisted Bologna were unfortunate in the first leg defeat and is backing his side to make the most of a second chance at Villa Park on Thursday evening, despite the daunting two-goal deficit they must overturn.
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The English winger, speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of the Europa League quarter-final second leg, was candid about the injustice he felt in the first leg at the Dall’Ara.
“We were unlucky in the first game, we deserved to go in at half-time two goals ahead,” he said, with quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb. “But that is football. We were punished and now we have to make the most of this second chance.”
BOLOGNA, ITALY – APRIL 09: Jonathan Rowe of Bologna is challenged by Amadou Onana and Ezri Konsa of Aston Villa during the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 Quarter-Final Leg One match between Bologna FC 1909 and Aston Villa FC at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on April 09, 2026 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
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Aston Villa vs Bologna – Rowe: ‘We will give our all’
Rowe acknowledged that nothing short of their best performance of the season will be enough to turn the tie around against a Villa side that has been one of the most consistent teams in the competition.
When asked which Aston Villa player he would most like to remove from the equation, the Bologna forward was diplomatically evasive.
“I know several of them,” he said with a smile. “But I don’t know who will start, so I can’t choose. They are a strong team regardless of who plays. We will give everything, but so will they. Let’s see what happens.”
It is an enormous ask for Italiano’s side, but Rowe’s words suggest a group that has not given up on the possibility of one of European football’s great comebacks.
