VILLA PARK — A lofty target merely whispered in these quarters a month ago is now being openly spoke about across the stands of Villa Park. “We are top of the league!” sang Aston Villa supporters as their side made it three wins from three in the Champions League.
The 2-0 win over Bologna was secured thanks to John McGinn and the starting Jhon Duran, and maintains Villa’s perfect start in this league phase, therefore making a top-eight finish a pipedream no longer.
Villa fans are more clued up than most when it comes to this new Champions League format, and they will know the prospect of placing in the top 24 – the original, basement aim – now looks almost certain, thus delivering another two European games on top of the eight guaranteed already.
The timing of those two additional matches could be delayed by almost a month though if Villa place eighth or higher, as that would help them bypass the knockout play-off round and qualify directly for the last 16 in March.
There is still a long way to go, but Villa are, remarkably, top and their hardest game is out the way, while the manner of this latest win means the momentum rolls on to the next away day on the continent: Club Brugge on 6 November.
Juventus will then be the next European heavyweight heading to Villa Park on 27 November, with the Italians led by Thiago Motta, the coach who steered Bologna to new heights last season, a fifth-place finish securing Champions League football after a mighty long wait.
That made for a symmetry with Villa’s own story, and crucial therefore to the success of backing up the Bayern Munich wunder-win was Villa recognising Bologna had entered free-shot territory themselves, chasing their first win in a competition they last, briefly, featured in 60 years ago.
Complacency, though, is not a word often associated with Unai Emery, who played the reverse Uno card of benching Ollie Watkins and handing the hero against Bayern, Duran, a rare start.
This show of faith marked Duran’s first start in the Champions League. The striker also started in the Carabao Cup win over Wycombe but has otherwise come off the bench 10 times this season in Europe and the Premier League.
But having taken his chances by delivering a goal every 56.5 minutes – six in 339 – Duran was now tasked with proving to Emery that regular rotation with Watkins could be crucial to managing their multiple aims and putting off fears of fatigue, which hampered the club at the tail-end of last season.
The sight of Tyrone Mings back on the bench also helps the cause, likewise the return of Boubacar Kamara, while on the pitch Duran’s eagerness was evident early on, pressing Bologna’s goalkeeper and answering cries of “Shoot!” when 30 yards out.
That attempt was blocked, and came after Emiliano Martinez got down quickly to keep Thijs Dallinga’s effort out. Bologna were threatening on the break, but it was then Duran who almost broke the deadlock, the Colombian’s header forcing Lukasz Skorupski to make a decent save.
Duran continued to be a nuisance, almost setting up Leon Bailey – who slipped instead of connecting with the ball – before McGinn saw his shot stopped by Skorupski as well.
After the break, Bailey snatched at an attempt before Stefan Posch fired wide for the visitors, both preceding the opener when McGinn’s in-swinging free-kick bounced past everyone and found the far corner of the net.
Duran was then rewarded for his endless endeavour, turning in Rogers’ cross, although that proved to be his final act as Watkins – already waiting to come on by the dugout – replaced him before Bologna’s next kick-off.
It sparked an angry response from Duran, who kicked the seat in front of him on the bench and continued to look frustrated when the cameras cut to him, but providing Emery can channel this anger it could prove to be the vital rotation that sustains their push for top four and a deep European run.
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