Top meets bottom in Serie A, as league leaders Inter Milan visit Venezia at Stadio Penzo on Wednesday evening.

Inter dramatically reclaimed first place with a late comeback last weekend, while the Lagunari lost for the seventh time this term.

Match preview

Last season’s double winners are still undefeated in Serie A, but Inter had to come from behind for the fifth time in eight league games when they hosted Fiorentina on Sunday.

Moving back to the summit - just ahead of surprise challengers Lazio - the Nerazzurri rallied to win 2-1, striking twice in the closing stages at San Siro.

After going 1-0 down, they were repeatedly denied by Viola captain David De Gea, but they finally broke through when Marcus Thuram scored with his eighth attempt of the match. 

Then, deep into stoppage time, Thuram was hauled over in the area and Piotr Zielinski coolly dispatched the subsequent penalty, so Inter have still dropped just two points in Serie A this term.

In fact, they are seven points better off than at this time last year, when they went on to lift the Scudetto in Cristian Chivu’s first campaign.

Before meeting AC Milan for the Derby della Madonnina - then facing Feyenoord in the Champions League - Chivu’s side must first head for Venice, where they have won on both of their last two visits without conceding.

Including a 5-1 Coppa Italia defeat to Inter last year - in which Thuram bagged a brace - Venezia have lost all of the clubs’ last five meetings.

Furthermore, they will head into this clash on a truly dismal run of form, having registered just three points since returning to Serie A.

Promoted back to Italy’s top flight last spring, the Lagunari have already swapped Giovanni Stroppa for survival specialist Davide Nicola, who pulled off an unexpected win over Napoli on his dugout debut.

That ‘new manager bounce’ was swiftly grounded, though, as Venezia lost 1-0 to Genoa last weekend, with Mikael Ellertsson scoring a superb goal against his old club.

Conceding at a rate of more than two goals per game, the Arancioneroverdi must now face Inter’s league-leading attack, so there may well be some fear amongst the Venetian faithful.

Venezia Serie A form:

Venezia form (all competitions):

Inter Milan Serie A form:

Inter Milan form (all competitions):

Team News

After complimenting Thuram for his fine recent form, Chivu suggested the French striker could be rested in midweek, ahead of two crucial games.

So, with captain Lautaro Martinez still sidelined by injury, Ange Bonny and Pio Esposito should start together up front.

Inter’s absence list also features Luis Henrique and Benjamin Pavard, plus English pair John Stones and Curtis Jones; the latter is closest to returning, but he may not make the trip to Stadio Penzo.

Venezia are set to welcome back their skipper, Gianluca Busio, but several men are still missing.

Marin Sverko, Bartol Franjic and Andrea Adorante all continue to recover from injury, while wing-back Thierry Correia remains a fitness doubt.

Nicola’s 3-5-2 setup should be led by John Yeboah and Nigeria international Akor Adams, the latter of whom has scored two goals in his last four league games.

Venezia possible starting lineup:

F. Stankovic; Schingtienne, Halhal, Moreno; Hainaut, Perez, Basic, Sohm, Haps; Yeboah, Adams

Inter Milan possible starting lineup:

J. Martinez; Bisseck, Akanji, Augusto; Spence, Sucic, A. Stankovic, Zielinski, Dimarco; Bonny, Esposito

We say: Venezia 0-3 Inter Milan 

While they have continued to struggle in Europe, Inter have made their best start in Serie A since 2017, regularly turning games around after falling behind.

Even if Chivu rotates, that may not be an issue on Wednesday, as lowly Venezia are unlikely to trouble the Scudetto holders.

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