Aston Villa have rewritten the Europa League record books, surpassing Chelsea’s longstanding benchmark for an English club in the competition following a commanding 4-0 second-leg victory over Bologna on 16 April 2026. The result sealed a 7-1 aggregate scoreline and extended Villa’s unbeaten run in the tournament to nine consecutive wins.
The previous record of eight straight Europa League victories had been held by Chelsea, achieved across a period spanning 2013 to 2018. Villa’s latest triumph erases that mark and cements their status as one of the competition’s most formidable sides in the current campaign.
Much of the credit for this European resurgence falls on manager Unai Emery, whose credentials in UEFA club competitions are among the most decorated in the game. The Spanish coach famously guided Sevilla to three consecutive Europa League titles before adding a fourth with Villarreal in 2021. His latest achievement with Villa marks yet another semi-final appearance across different clubs — a testament to his ability to navigate the knockout stages of European football.
Villa’s reward for their record-breaking run is a semi-final meeting with Nottingham Forest, a fixture that carries considerable intrigue given Forest’s roster of Nigerian internationals. Defender Ola Aina and striker Taiwo Awoniyi — both established Super Eagles regulars — are expected to play pivotal roles for Forest as they bid to reach the final.
The all-English semi-final pairing sets up what promises to be a tactically absorbing encounter. Forest, who have had their own impressive domestic and European campaign, will look to Aina’s defensive solidity and Awoniyi’s attacking threat to upset Villa’s momentum. Awoniyi, who has been central to Forest’s attack this season, and Aina, who provides quality down the flank, represent a significant Super Eagles presence on the European stage.
For Aston Villa, the semi-final represents an opportunity to build on a European campaign that has already surpassed the expectations of many observers. The club, based in Birmingham, have not appeared in a major European final in recent memory, making this run particularly significant in their modern history.
With the final now within realistic reach, Emery’s side will be focused on maintaining the consistency that has defined their Europa League campaign. The semi-final first leg is expected to draw widespread attention, not only in England but across Africa, where the participation of Super Eagles internationals Aina and Awoniyi has generated considerable interest.
