Which means that’s it from me. Thanks for your company and comments; peace.
Righto, our match reports are here.
Back at Ibrox, Ally has come down pitchside; he’s seething. Scott Arfield and Alan Hutton have also been happier.
That could be a huge result for Villa. They’ve still got really good players and a really good manager, they’ve just lost a bit of impetus. Ezri Konsa is giving a really good and honest interview to TNT, talking about their difficulty in scoring goals and the feeling of being publicly criticised by their boss.
Results
Ferencvaros 1-1 Viktoria Plzen
Salzburg 0-1 Porto
Stuttgart 2-1 Celta Vigo
Utrecht 0-1 Lyon
Young Boys 1-4 Panathanaikos
Rangers 0-1 Genk
Aston Villa 1-0 Bologna
“Robbie Keane’s boyhood dream-club Ferencvaros have just scored a stoppage-time equaliser at home against Viktoria Plzen!” observes Peter Oh.
In fairness, he must properly love football – he’s gone wherever it’s taken him since moving to Italy when he was 20.
I suppose Rangers can say they had a man sent off, but at the same time there are only so many defeats that any club will accept. In co-comms, Ally has his sad voice on, saying that something will have to give because the team are miles off.
FULL TIME: Rangers 0-1 Genk
Another defeat for Rangers.
“Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller was all too easily muscled off the ball,” returns Kári Tulinius, “allowing Borja Iglesias to run at goal, rolling the ball past Nubel.”
2-1 to Stuttgart then. There was talk of Stiller moving to England, but I wonder if he has the physicality.
It’s almost over at Ibrox; Mohamed Diomande will be feeling some feelings, because until he got sent off unnecessarily, it was an even contest.
FULL TIME: Aston Villa 1-0 Bologna
A big win for Villa. It wasn’t a great performance, but it was solid enough and gives them a bit of momentum. They meet Fulham on Sunday.
Bologna have a free-kick, it goes down the line, the cross is met by Freuler with a David Platt-style header, flicker hard and loopy … but Bizot back-peddles to claw away form under the bar! The difference between one point and three.
Updated
Rangers go down the left, the cross is cut back, to the edge, and Barron is there … but his effort is blocked behind, for a corner that comes to nothing.
Villa break and Watkins moves forward, finds a shooting angle … and not dissimilarly to Sancho, lashes a riser wide of the far post, seeking curl.
At Villa Park, there’ll be five additional minutes.
Rangers need to think about taking some risks: they may as well lose this 2-0 as 1-0. At the moment, though, they’re under pressure. Four minutes to go.
Updated
Villa have stepped it up these last few minutes, Sancho again at the hub of things, flicking a lovely lofted pass for Digne, who crosses, and Rogers can’t quite get a proper shot off.
Sancho’s looked lively since coming on and he teases his man with a feint that intimates a pass outside; the run was really good from Digne. So Sancho shimmies inside, it opens up and he tries a curler that has fade not draw.
At Villa Park, eight minutes remain. Rowe crosses from the right, and the ball only just eludes the man in the middle; they’re looking like they’ll create a chance between now and full time. They send on Dallinga for Castro and Fabbian for Odgaard.
“Bilal El Khannous ‘goal for Stuttgart was a lovely individual effort,” returns Kári Tulinius. “He ran along the edge of the area before sending a low drive into the far corner.”
I enjoyed him at Leicester – I’m keen to see how he develops because he’s got plenty of talent.
Other goals that went in while we were caught up elsewhere: Lyon have gone 1-0 in Utrecht; Stuttgart now lead Celta 2-0; and Panathaniakos are 4-1 up at Young Boys.
At Ibrox, Oh has slid in after good work from Hrosovsky, but it turns out the former was offside when sprung down the right.
Bologna come again, a cross headed goalwards, and Bizot starjumps, making a save that’s actually better than was first apparent.
Bologna fancy this now and come down the left, Orsolini crossing brilliantly and Castro is up … but he either mistimes his jump or can’t get on top of the ball, it’s hard to see, but either way the ball flies over the top. That’s an escape for Villa.
“I remember attending games in the mid-80s at Ibrox,’” emails Tony Hughes. This was in the pre-Souness days. There’d be 5,000 of us watching Robert Prytz and Derek Johnstone fail to score against Motherwell. Happy Days.”
Following Rangers post-demotions must’ve also been decent.
Updated
SKORUPSKI SAVES WATKINS' PENALTY!
He opens his body like he’s going bottom-right, the keeper dives bottom-left, and when the shot goes bottom-middle, he saves with his feet. Watkins hasn’t scored yet this season, and his form is starting to become a problem.
Updated
But was Watkins offside? Apparently not. He’ll take the penalty…
PENALTY TO VILLA!
This looks clear. Sancho wins it high – that is not a misprint – and Watkins collects, seps across Vitik, who clips him, and that’s a stonewaller.
Updated
‘Stuttgart have been much the better team tonight,” writes Kári Tulinius, “pressing fiercely and creating pleasing attacking patterns, without creating clear chances, because Celta Vito have defended in numbers. But a long goal kick allowed Denis Undav to run at goal from the halfway line and he lobbed the opposition goalkeeper. The Galicians will need to come out of their shell, which should suit the Swabians perfectly.”
Thanks for that – I’m watching Villa v Bologna and Rangers v Genk, so it’s good to get more than a score.
Gassama gets around the back, crosses low for Watkins … and Vitik makes an excellent saving challenge
Villa send on Sancho and Watkins for Buendia and Malen.
Updated
GOAL! Rangers 0-1 Genk (Oh 55)
It’s taken him a while, but the former Celtic man finally has his goal. Steuckers sets him away in behind – how are a side with 10 so open? – he marches through, steadies, and sends a left-footer across Butland and into the far corner. Very nicely taken.
Updated
Ball over the top and Hrosovsky gallops away, crossing low for the sliding Oh … who can’t quite get his leg around it, his finish moving wide with the direction of the ball.
GOAL! Stuttgart 1-0 Celta Vigo (Boumani 51)
It’s only the games at Rangers and Utrecht which remain goalless.
Updated
Desperate defending from Rangers after Butland doesn’t shovel around the post a shot he winds up blocking back into play. But he makes a better sae from a follow-up and there are two or three blocks too before Rangers finally clear.
Rangers seem to be playing 4-4-1. If they can get men up with Chermiti when they counter, they can do something in this game and, as I type, they get forward, cross, and when a weak clearance header bounces up nicely for Aasgaard, he … swipes over the top.
Off we go again at Ibrox; at Villa Park, Maatsen plays a decent long pass for Malen, but he’s well tracked and unloaded by Lucumi.
Pau Torres lacks a bit of pace but he passes out of defence very nicely; he finds Rogers, who dawdles is caught in possession, Bologna force the high turnover and again, Bernadeschi cuts inside to shoot low and left-footed; again, it’s too close to Bizot.
Really good save, this.
Jack Butland keeps the 10 men of Rangers in the game with a brilliant penalty save against Oh Hyeon-gyu 🧤
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 25, 2025
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/gZmZZIV4ue
We go again…
Our teams are back out at Villa Park, no changes for either side.
Half-time entertainment:
Other half-times
Ferencvaros 0-1 Viktoria Plzen
Salzburg 0-0 Porto
Stuttgart 0-0 Celta Vigo
Utrecht 0-0 Lyon
Young Boys 1-3 Panathanaikos
HALF-TIME: Rangers 0-0 Genk
Another mess of a half from Rangers, but Butland has kept them level; now it’s Martin’s tur to earn his money.
BUTLAND SAVES!
Oh hits it hard enough, but Butland guesses correctly, diving right, the ball isn’t in the corner, he beats it away, and Gassama does just enough to keep Steuckers from scoring from the follow-up.
Updated
PENALTY TO GENK!
This’d cap another nightmare half for Russell’s Rangers. It’s Oh v Butland…
The pull-back starts outside the box then, inside the box, Tavernier clips Medina’s heels, inadvertently but nevertheless. I fear for Rangers.
Updated
At Ibrox, there’s now a VAR check for a Genk penalty, Tavernier having pulled back Medina. It’s not a big infringement and the attacker made the most of it, but the way things are going for Russell Martin, you almost assume the ref’ll give it.
HALF-TIME: Aston Villa 1-0 Bologna
Villa needed that, badly.
Villa will be pretty happy with their first half. They’ve scored a lovely goal, created some dangerous situations, and not looked likely to concede.
The referee decides that Rangers will not be given a penalty kick for a handball due to a Tavernier foul in the lead up ❌
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 25, 2025
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/EM3UghGFRf
A few minutes ago, when the ref signalled he’d changed his decision having seen a replay, Russell Martin thought his team were getting a penalty; they weren’t and now his team are a man down. On the plus side, though, he does have some extremely luxuriant curtains.
RED CARD! Rangers have Diomande sent off!
He slides in on El Ouahadi, a kind of side-kick which introduces studs to ankle and calf. He probably didn’t mean any harm but it looks bad, is dangerous, and the ref doesn’t have much choice.
Updated
Rogers gets away and strides through the middle, delaying until he’s sure he can slide in Buendia outside him, but he telegraphs the pass and Zortea intercepts.
No! Tavernier is penalised for a push, so no penalty. It would’ve been harsh because the arm was up in the act if jumping, not to block the ball, but according to the laws, the ref would’ve hand no choice. In comms, Ally thinks the ref has copped out, but there are hands in the back, so.
At Ibrox, we’re checking for a penalty. Tavernier leaps to head a cross towards the far corner, it hits Kayembe on the hand and, though he was facing the other way, I think the ref will give this.
Gassard strides foerard and has Rogers free to his left, but he instead seeks Malen to the left, the pass is a little heavy, and the keeper is out quickly to dive at his feet.
I said Bologna were coming into it and they are, Bernardeschi coming in off the right and shooting low, but too close to Bizot.
But as I type, Cambiaghi slides a cross into the middle and Oh lunges, his shot deflected behind.
It’s an even game at Ibrox, the sides cancelling each other out. There’s a lack of quality in forward positions and I’d not be shocked if the game ends goalless.
GOAL! Young Boys 1-3 Panathanaikos (Janko 25)
Yes, that is the Saidy Janko, who you might remember from Manchester United reserves.
Buendia into Malen, who burrows into the box, but is soon crowded out, the keeper coming out to flick away at feet.
Bologna are enjoying a bit more possession now, Cambiaghi crossing and Ferguson sweeping over.
There are a lot of empty seats at Ibrox. Faor a club like Rangers, that is not sustainable; Martin will have to get them winning regularly, quicksmart.
GOAL! Young Boys 0-3 Panathanaikos (Zaroury 19)
Gosh, this could get messy.
A free-kick is curled into the Genk box, Soutta rheads across goal towards the side-netting … and Heynen hooks clear from under his own bar! That is fantastic defending.
GOAL! Ferencvaros 0-1 Viktoria Plzen (Durosimni 16)
A goal in Budapest.
GOAL! Young Boys 0-2 Panathaniakos (Zaroury 13)
Big trouble for the Swiss.
GOAL! Aston Villa 1-0 Bologna (McGinn 13)
Villa Park has its first goal of the season! The corner goes short and when the cross comes in, Rogers, unmarked should score. But he leathers fresh air then, when the ball is half-cleared to Mcginn on the edge, he gets his knee right over the ball and drives down on it, sending a skidding shot hard, straight and true, just inside the near post.
Buendia hares through the middle and finds Rogers; his outside-of-the-boot is humped behind.
Back at Ibrox, Mikey Moore – another I’m looking forward to watching tonight – has swept a shot over the top from the edge.
GOAL! Young Boys 0-1 Panathanaikos (Swiderski 10)
An early goal in Bern and it’s for the visitors.
Updated
It’s amazing how much Robbie Savage’s commentary has improved since he started coaching, you can tell he’s proper obsessed. He’s just explained how Bologna are “locking on in the press” having previously noted that Villa are almost playing a 4-2-2-2; “as you know, I love formations,” he adds. It’s a great development.
Villa Park hasn’t seen a goal yet this season, but Gassama gets away at inside-right, hangs on a little bit too long, and his shot from a tighter angle than is necessary, is saved.
But here come Genk again, El Ouahdi sliding in at the far post to send a finish over the top.
In comms, Robbie Savage says Villa Park is one of his favourite grounds and I agree, it’s one of mine, too; the Holte, when full, is one of the great ends and sights in English football. On which point, Ibrox is also a beautiful piece of work and, as I say every time it comes up, by far the noisiest ground I’ve been to, and I’ve been to a few. But Ranger are in trouble, Meghoma stepping up and allowing El Ouahdi in behind, but the shot that follows his cut-back is blocked by Tavernier.
Updated
And off we go!
Our teams come out at both Villa Park and Ibrox Stadium.
Here’s a Rangers in Europe story. Be very aware, it’s an absolute banger.
Martin explains that Chermiti is playing to add freshness and also that he “suits the game tonight”. The team are prepared but need to make it their kind of game and if they repeat Saturday’s performance, he believes they can win.
Updated
Final scores: Go Ahead Eagles 0-1 Steaua; Lille 2-1 Brann.
I’m intrigued to see how much dissent there is at Ibrox. It’s rare a manager turns around the kind of situation Russell Martin is experiencing, but as long as he’s got a job, he’s got hope. He’ll need a result tonight, you’d think.
Is Martin Keown superimposed?
As for Bologna, I’m keen to see how Lewis Ferguson gets on. He captained them to their Coppa Italia win, and will want to make an impression tonight.
I also really like Boubacar Kamara who, if he can stay fit, has lots of the right stuff. I don’t think there’s too much wrong at Villa, they’ve just forgotten how to score which has knocked their confidence. For that reason, I’m a little surprised Ollie Watkins has been dropped, because they badly need him firing – and don’t forget he also creates – but I’m sure Emery has his reasons.
Still missing for Villa: Amadou Onana, Ross Barkley and Youri Tielemans.
I’m looking forward to seeing how Morgan Rogers does tonight, for no reason other than I love watching him play. I really enjoy his physicality and imagination, and he looks the most likely difference between the sides.
Emery tells TNT that Martinez is injured, then explains that this is a good opportunity for Malen. Otherwise, he says Villa have been good at home, but European games are always difficult. It’s their dream to play in Europe, but they’ll have to do well to get a result.
Updated
I wonder if Emery spoke harshly about his players because he thinks they should win tonight; if he does it and they don’t, what else can he then say? I think they’ll have too much in midfield for Bologna, and if they can just get that first win, they’ve got more than enough to have a decent season.
So what of Genk? Well they’re third-bottom of the league and managed by Thorsten Fink, most famous for the clearance that led to this:
As for Rangers, they make one change following weekend victory over Hibs: Chermiti, making his full debut, replaces Miovski.
Bologna have a player called Heggem, more than enough excuse to remember this forgotten banger, scored for Liverpool by his namesake on Boxing Day 1998.
Back to our teams, Emery leaves out Martinez, Mings, Digne and Watkins; in come Bizot, Pau Torres, Maatsen and Malen.
Bologna, meanwhile, 11th in Serie A after beating Genoa 2-1 at the weekend, replace De Silvestri, Heggem, Miranda, Moro, Dominguez, and Orsolini with Zoertea, Lucumi, Lykogiannis, Ferguson, Odgaard and Cambiaghi.
Email! “I know that it’s a well-worn old chuckler, but hey ho,” begins Charles Antaki. “It still raises a smile when you see Go Ahead Eagles go behind.”
Teams!
Aston Villa (4-4-2): Bizot; Cash, Konsa, Pau Torres, Maatsen; Guessand, Kamara, McGinn, Rogers; Buendia, Malen. Subs: Proctor, Oakley, Lindelöf, Mings, Elliott, Watkins, Digne, Andrès García, Sancho, Bogarde, Burrowes.
Bologna (4-3-3): Skorupski; Zoertea, Vitik, Lucumi, Lykogiannis; Ferguson, Freuler, Odgaard; Bernadeschi, Castro, Cambiaghi. Subs: Ravaglia, Pessina, Holk, Moro, Orsolini, Rowe, Heggem, Dallinga, Miranda, Fabbian.
**
Rangers (4-3-3): Butland; Tavernier, Souttar, Cornelius, Meghoma; Diomande, Raskin; Moore; Aasgaard, Gassama, Chermiti. Subs: Kelly, Wright, Rothwell, Barron, Antman, Djiga, Miovski, Gentles, Danilo, Rice, Curtis, McCallion.
Genk (5-3-2): Van Crombrugge; El Ouhadi, Sets, Sadick, Kayembe, Medina; Hrosovsky, Bangoura, Heynen; Sreuckers; Oh. Subs: Mounganga, Ito, Karetsas, Bibout, Sattleberger, Nkuba, Mirisola, Yokoyama, Adedeji-Sternberg, Palacios, Kongolo, Erabi.
Updated
Latest scores: Go Ahead Eagles 0-1 Steaua Bucharest; Lille 1-0 Brann.
Preamble
For the first time since arriving at Aston Villa in 2022, Unai Emery finds himself under pressure. At the end of last season, his players were guilty of a complete no-show in their last game, against a Manchester United side that had just lost the Europa League final, which cost them a Champions League spot, and they’ve started this in similar vein, sitting third-bottom of the table and playing so badly their manager has already accused them of being lazy.
As such, today’s match with Bologna – whom Villa beat 2-0 in last season’s premier competition – is more important than it seems. After receiving such public and stinging criticism, if they cannot rouse themselves to deliver a performance tonight, then what?
Life at Villa Park, though, sounds like a joy relative to goings-on at Ibrox. Though Rangers managed their first win in six against Hibs last weekend, Russell Martin is still in a pickle – one that can only be resolved with a succession of good results and performances. In the meantime, any defeat could mean the end with tonight’s match with Genk the latest test of his survival instinct.
Add to that a selection of other matches, and we’ve a decent evening’s rubber-necking in prospect.
Kick-off: 8pm BST
