Aston Villa maintained their flawless record in the Champions League with a 2-0 victory, but for Bologna’s goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski, the match left more than just disappointment over the scoreline.
The opening goal came from John McGinn, whose expertly taken free-kick curled into the far corner, leaving Skorupski with no chance. Jhon Duran then doubled Villa’s advantage with a classic striker’s finish, assisted by Morgan Rogers. Skorupski had little opportunity to react to either goal, and even if given a second chance, he would still find it difficult to thwart Duran’s instinctive strike or McGinn’s pinpoint delivery.
As Skorupski boarded the bus for the long journey back to Italy, he found himself regretting not asking for a jersey from Emiliano Martinez, one of the world’s top goalkeepers. “It’s a shame I didn’t get Martinez’s shirt after the match,” Skorupski expressed to reporters, admiring Villa’s Argentine star. “We congratulated each other, and he shared a few words with me, but those details are private.”
Both goalkeepers were kept busy throughout the match, each making four saves. Skorupski was particularly tested during a first half where Aston Villa allowed Bologna several shots from just outside the penalty area. Although he faced numerous attempts, none forced him into a spectacular save, highlighting Martinez’s strong performance.
Reflecting on the match, Skorupski admitted, “There is a lot of regret.” He recognized Bologna’s need for something extraordinary to break Martinez’s string of clean sheets in the tournament. “We played well in the first half, but we must be more aggressive in front of goal. Facing a keeper like Martinez requires us to raise our game significantly. While we lacked a bit of luck, that often comes through hard work. I hope the entire team shares that mindset.”
Skorupski noted that after Aston Villa scored their first goal, Bologna struggled to regain momentum. “Once you concede two goals to a team like Villa, it becomes an uphill battle,” he added. “Martinez’s performance made it even harder. If we can enhance our attacking capabilities, we can return to the form we showed last season.”
Emiliano Martinez is among only two goalkeepers in the Champions League this season to record three clean sheets, alongside Arsenal’s David Raya. Meanwhile, Bologna’s head coach, Vincenzo Italiano, expressed frustration over recurring issues. His team has managed to score just nine goals in 11 Serie A matches this season, a statistic compounded by the summer sale of Joshua Zirkzee to Manchester United.
“The players faced a strong opponent in every aspect,” Italiano lamented, suggesting that McGinn’s opening goal should not have counted due to a foul on Marco Fabbian. “We created chances, but after that first goal, we didn’t have the strength to challenge them. The team remained focused, but we need to do more. We haven’t scored again today, but there were signs of potential.”
Italiano emphasized the need for his players to improve and pay closer attention to details. “The opportunities to score are there; we just need to increase our efficiency in front of goal,” he concluded, underscoring the importance of turning chances into goals as Bologna looks to find their form moving forward.