Bologna’s coach, Vincenzo Italiano, arrived at his pre-match press conference for Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final second leg at Villa Park with his characteristic wit. He playfully suggested that the club should have invited Tom Cruise to assist with what he termed a nearly impossible mission. Despite the jest, Italiano also presented a clear and serious tactical approach aimed at giving Bologna a genuine opportunity to achieve a remarkable comeback in European football.
The Rossoblù are currently trailing 3-1 from the first leg, and Italiano acknowledged the magnitude of the challenge ahead.
“I’ll drop the percentages this time,” Italiano remarked, referencing his earlier 50-50 prediction for the first leg. “This is a mission that is almost impossible. I had asked the club to bring in Tom Cruise, he could give us a hand.”
However, the lighthearted mood quickly shifted as Italiano delved into the serious business of how Bologna could pose difficulties for an Aston Villa side that would likely aim to control the game on home turf.
“We ruined the first leg with some lapses of concentration within what was otherwise a very high-level performance,” he stated. “Tomorrow, we must make life difficult for them, not let them have a quiet evening. It would be important not to concede. And then we have to try to hurt them: they do give something away, as we saw in both previous matches here.”
Regarding Unai Emery’s attacking philosophy, Italiano responded with a touch of humor. “Emery’s mantra is attack, attack, attack. Mine, by contrast, is defence, defence, defence,” he said with a smile.
He offered a more measured perspective on what he genuinely anticipates from Villa. “I would be surprised if they came at us aggressively given their two-goal lead. But I don’t know how they will approach it; what I do know is that the atmosphere pushes them and raises their level. We must find a way to respond.”
Italiano confirmed that Federico Ravaglia would start in goal. With Lucumí also unavailable, he has Casale, Heggem, and Vitik as options in central defense, though he remained deliberately vague about his selection, stating, “One of the three will be on the bench.”
His message to the squad was direct: “I told them to remember the matches we have played here before. We need to dig deep for a truly top-level performance and make our opponents work extremely hard. These games always throw up surprises, and that is our only hope.”
