Watkins eyes more milestones are scoring 100th Villa goal

Ollie Watkins expressed his delight after reaching 100 goals for Aston Villa in their victory over Bologna on Thursday.

Watkins opened the scoring at Villa Park before Emiliano Buendia, Morgan Rogers and Ezri Konsa got in on the act.

Watkins became just the third Premier League player to score 100 goals in all competitions since his Villa debut (15th September 2020), alongside Mohamed Salah (159) and Erling Haaland (157).

Watkins is also the outright top goalscorer in major European competition for Villa with 10 goals, overtaking Peter Withe and John McGinn (nine each).

"The next is 100 Premier League goals, that's what I have my eyes on.

"In my career, I have scored a lot of goals like that. Just being in the box and being prepared for it to fall to me. Morgan [Rogers] put it on a plate for me."

Villa and Forest will be the first English teams to meet at the semi-final stage of a major European competition since Manchester United vs Arsenal in the 2008-09 Champions League.

"When you're in a competition like this, anything can happen. We prepare for each game as it comes," added the striker.

"It's an exciting time for me personally and the team. We have everyone fit and are playing our best football.

"We've got it all to play for. If someone said we would be fighting for Champions League and in the semi-final of the European competition, I would've bit their hand off!"

Bologna boss Vincenzo Italiano chose to seek the positives from their defeat, while predicting Villa will win the Europa League this season.

"We must learn lessons from the whole journey, recognise that right now Aston Villa have an extra gear compared to us," said Italiano.

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