Aston Villa kicked off their 2025/26 Europa League campaign in perfect fashion, defeating their Italian visitors, Bologna, 1-0 to earn a long-awaited victory. It gives the Villains something to build on now.

Former Celtic man Oh Hyeon-gyu was at the heart of the action for the visitors with the saved spot-kick, winning goal and the ruled out second. Finally, Unai Emery's side clinch their first win of the season. They started brightly and got the goal, courtesy of John McGinn, in the first half, but intensity dropped as the game went on.

BBC Sport examines some of the main themes going into Sunday's fixture between Aston Villa and Fulham. Villa's first win of the season, at the seventh time of asking, on Thursday did little to ease the crisis of confidence among their forward players.

Monchi believes Aston Villa are in good hands after appointing Roberto Olabe as his successor and has said that it was "the right time" for him to leave.

Ollie Watkins changed his usual confident run-up just before missing an important penalty in Aston Villa’s Europa League win over Bologna this week, Troy Deeney believes. Villa got their Europa League campaign off to a winning start thanks to John McGinn’s early strike at Villa Park on Thursday.

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery says goalkeeper Emi Martinez is a doubt for Sunday’s clash against Fulham.Martinez missed Villa’s Europa League win over Bologna on Thursday and Emery says he is

Aston Villa are 'feeling the pressure' according to Fulham defender Joachim Andersen. The imposing 29-year-old, who has played every minute of The Whites' Premier League campaign so far, is preparing for Sunday's trip to Villa Park. He does so with his side eighth in the table and having won two and drawn two of their first give games.