3-1

"Players playing with the national team is very good because they are keeping their rhythm, and on some days they rest more than normal on some days. With the other players, we were resting and working, trying to get the balance. We didn't want to lose the mental process we are building, and we are ready.

"I have played Italian teams before. They play so clearly, and they are consistent with getting their duels individually. As a team, they want to always get into duels. Imposing our positioning and our tactics is going to be difficult. To compete is to adapt."

Unai Emery, pre-match.



"They are a really good team.

”Man to man, all over the pitch. They are really strong. I know their goalkeeper, [Lukasz] Skorupski, I've spoken to him about Bologna at [Poland] training camps. I've seen their fixtures since we last played them, and they haven't really lost in Europe. We know how good they are.

"Two legs, a 180-minute game - a lot can happen, especially coming away to a place like this is going to be difficult. But we are going to try and do what we can to put ourselves in a good position for next week."

Matty Cash, pre-match.



"It could've been different. They had a disallowed goal, and if that had turned out to be 1-0 and stayed that way, it would've been a long way back for us. We got lucky. They played tough today.

"We got the goal from the set-piece, and that kind of took the sting out of the game. They were dominant before that, but just before half-time is a great time to score. We got the second after half-time, and then we felt we were always going to score more.

"Back end of the season, I'm raring to go. I could play another 90 minutes. I'm excited for the next few games. I'm hungry.

"Their winger was causing problems tonight. Great finish for his goal, and at 2-1 it's all to play for. That other goal, taking a 2-0 lead back to Villa Park, makes it tough for them.

"We have to play like that in every game. Like against West Ham [before the international break], we played well. We have to keep pushing; everyone around us is winning. We're in a great spot at the end of the season, and it's all to play for."

Ollie Watkins, post-match.



"Happy, yes, but we are trying to get balance in everything. We played the first leg here and won, and it is a fantastic result. How we did the 90 minutes, I can feel more or less good for some things and not too good for others. A good result, but we still have the second leg to play.

"First half, we were a bit shy. We needed to try to do more passes, to get better positions in the attacking third, but we were losing the ball easily. We were not conceding a lot, but with a few moments, we conceded.

"Set-pieces are always important, but today it was our priority defensively and offensively because we knew before the match that it would be one way to try to get something. In the first half, we scored one goal, other chances as well.

"The result was much better than the match we played in the first half, but in the second half it was completely different. We dominated them and controlled the game like we planned to in the first half, but we didn't do so, and we were feeling comfortable. We reacted well offensively when they scored.

"In the second leg, they are going to try to suppress us, and my message inside the dressing room is to keep playing the second leg with the same plan, well, with the new plan we will have, but keep respecting them."

Unai Emery, post-match.



“For me, he is unbelievable.

"He has seen me when I've been at my best and at my worst, but I've had all of my best moments under this manager.

"Some of the best moments of this club have come through... me, some of my moments. He has a lot of faith in me."

Ollie Watkins on Unai Emery.



"Watkins is a fighter. He is always playing well because he is always doing his task and working for the team."

Unai Emery on Ollie Watkins.