Aston Villa's return to Europe's top table couldn't have gone much better so far and they'll be looking to make it a Champions League hat-trick when Serie A side Bologna come calling.
Last season's surprise fourth-place finish in the Premier League booked Villa's return to the big time for the first time in four decades – and they've been making up for lost time.
A thumping win on the road against Young Boys, which saw two bets land for Slips Tips, was followed by a statement home victory against Bayern Munich, with the 1-0 scoreline a repeat of the 1982 European Cup Final.
Unai Emery's squad has been stretched by injuries in recent weeks but key players are now fit again ahead of the visit of Bologna.
The Italians also caused a stir by qualifying for the Champions League against the odds but the loss of boss Thiago Motta to Juventus has hit them hard.
Bologna have claimed just one win in their nine games this term but they've also been hard to beat, with six of those games ending in draws. So Villa may need to show a bit of patience to break them down.
How the bookies view it: Villa bubble won't burst
With Emery's side flying so far in Europe it's no great surprise to see them as Betano's 8/15 favourites with home advantage. Bologna look a bit overpriced at 5/1 and the draw is also pretty big at 3/1.
If you like Villa to make it three wins from three in their maiden Champions League campaign, take advantage of a limited-time offer from Betano. They're offering 40/1 on the Villans to take three points and a big step towards the knockout rounds, for new customers only and with a max stake of £1.
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Head to head: First time rivals
With both sides not gracing European football regularly, it's no surprise to learn they haven't faced each other before. Bologna have taken on English sides just five times, with two defeats, two wins and a draw in those clashes with Fulham, West Brom and Liverpool.
Players to watch: Jolly Rogers
Morgan Rogers always catches my eye whenever I watch Aston Villa and the former Middlebrough man should be a key player again. He's 11/5 at Be365 for anytime scorer but an assist might be more likely once that market is priced up.
Bologna's biggest problem this season has been scoring goals and they've drawn a blank in both their Champions League games so far. Santiago Castro has managed three goals in Serie A though so he might be their best bet for a goal at 18/5 with Betano.
Probable line-ups
Villa's injury problems are easing with Ezri Konsa, John McGinn, Amadou Onana and Jaden Philogene back in business and long-term crocks Tyrone Mings and Boubacar Kamara back training. Bologna are still without star midfielder Lewis Ferguson and Oussama El Azzouzi.
Aston Villa: Martinez, Carlos, Konsa, Digne, Torres, Tielemans, McGinn, Onana, Rogers, Bailey, Watkins.
Bologna: Ravaglia, Holm, Erlic, Lykogiannis, Beukema, Moro, Freuler, Ndoye, Aebischer, Orsolini, Castro.
Anything else catch the eye?
Bologna's first two games in the Champions League don't point to a thriller in this one, with just two goals scored across those matches. Backing under 2.5 goals pays evens here while betting against BTTS is a bit shorter at 10/11.
Cards have been flowing more than the goals in their Euro outings, with six yellows in each of Bologna's games. That makes over 52.5 booking points worth a punt here once Betfred price up that market while Bologna midfielder Remo Freuler is always good value for a card.
This UEFA Champions League match between Aston Villa and Bologna will be played on Oct 22, 2024 and kick off at 20:00. Check below for our tipsters best Aston Villa vs Bologna prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
