Aston Villa Crushes Roma in Pre-Season Statement
Who saw this coming? Aston Villa tore through AS Roma with a ruthless 4-0 win in their August 6, 2025 pre-season friendly, treating Best Scots Stadium to a show of pace and precision. This wasn't just another warm-up—Villa sent a message. Their midfield, led by Tielemans, Kamara, and Ramsey, dominated every loose ball and dictated the game's tempo from kickoff. Within minutes, the damage was done.
Emiliano Buendía caught Roma napping, slotting home the opener in the 15th minute with a tidy finish. The celebrations had barely died down before Jacob Ramsey doubled the lead just two minutes later, cutting through defenders like they weren't there. Villa's attack, powered by Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins, pulsed with constant movement. Watkins himself got on the scoresheet before halftime, volleying in Villa's third. By then, the contest felt more like a training drill than a top-level friendly.
Midfield Domination and Tactical Mastery
Tielemans and Kamara ran the show, breaking up Roma's play and launching quick passes that picked apart gaps. Their ability to recover possession and keep pressure high forced Roma into mistake after mistake. Even when Roma tried to regroup at halftime, Villa looked sharper. Substitutions kept intensity up, and Donyell Malen, coming off the bench, buried a fourth goal with five minutes left—just in case anyone thought Roma might escape with some dignity intact.
Roma's problems were glaring. Defensive lapses—especially on set plays—left them reeling. Their backline struggled to track Villa's runners, and the midfield couldn't pick up second balls. On the occasions they did break forward, Villa's defense always had numbers, cutting out danger long before it threatened Emiliano Martínez's goal.
For fans at home, all the action streamed for free through BBC iPlayer, making the match easy to catch no matter where you were. Even the post-match pundits struggled to find positives for Roma but couldn't praise Villa enough. The pre-season may not count for trophies, but this win was exactly the kind of performance Villa wanted ahead of the competitive campaign.
Now, Villa supporters have fresh reason to get excited, seeing how well depth signings like Malen fit in and how sharp the new midfield trio look under pressure. For Roma, though, there's little time to dwell—defensive organization and sharper transitions need urgent work. The friendly highlighted talent, problems, and a very clear pecking order on the night—Villa at their best, and Roma left searching for answers.
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