Aston Villa earn first win to launch Europa League bid, Rangers beaten

AFP | London

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Aston Villa ended their winless run by beating Bologna 1-0 to open their Europa League campaign, while Rangers manager Russell Martin’s job was placed into peril by a 1-0 home defeat to Genk on Thursday.

Despite failing to win any of their first five Premier League games, Villa had been installed as pre-tournament favourites for the Europa League.

The English side reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League last season, losing narrowly to eventual winners Paris Saint Germain, and in Unai Emery have a manager who has won the Europa League four times during spells at Sevilla and Villarreal.