The Serie A weekend will kick off with a battle at the bottom under Friday night lights, as Udinese visit Venezia at Stadio Penzo.

After Kosta Runjaic was sacked earlier this week, both clubs have already changed manager due to a truly dismal set of results.

Match preview

Promoted back to Italy’s top flight last spring, Venezia have only picked up three points since returning to Serie A, and they are rooted to the foot of the table.

After a slow start, the Lagunari swapped Giovanni Stroppa for survival specialist Davide Nicola, whose new side impressively upset Napoli in his first match.

However, they have since lost their next three games without scoring; last weekend, they were beaten 1-0 by Como, despite the best efforts of busy goalkeeper Filip Stankovic.

As a result, Venezia are only the third team ever to lose at least nine of their first 10 Serie A fixtures, leaving Nicola with issues to fix at both ends.

Not only have the Arancioneroverdi scored just six league goals, they are currently conceding at a rate of two per game - undoubtedly relegation form.

Now, they will host opponents in similarly dire shape; as Udinese are just two points above them, victory would lift Venezia off the bottom rung.

Most date back several years, but Udinese have won five of the sides' last seven league meetings, and they came out on top in a Coppa Italia tie earlier this term.

However, they have only ever posted one top-flight victory at Stadio Penzo, and the Fruilani are currently in freefall.

After a 5-2 crushing by Roma last week, Udinese have lost seven of their last eight matches, and that heavy home defeat proved the final stand for Runjaic.

The German coach had fared well in his first two years at the club, but a tally of five points from 10 Serie A games represents their worst start this century.

Without missing a beat, ex-Venezia boss Paolo Zanetti was appointed until the end of the season, and he must first visit his former club.

Since getting the Lagunari promoted for the first time in 19 years, Zanetti's personal record has been mixed elsewhere, so he will surely have a point to prove on Friday.

Venezia Serie A form:

Udinese Serie A form:

Team News

Marin Sverko, Bartol Franjic and Andrea Adorante are still ruled out for Venezia, while wing-back Thierry Correia is struggling to recover from a thigh strain. 

After Lion Lauerbach started the Lagunari's last two matches, it remains to be seen if John Yeboah reforms his partnership with club-record signing Akor Adams.

Only Roma star Donyell Malen (15) has had more shots on target than Adams (13) in Serie A this term, but the Nigerian striker has only scored twice - both times on home turf.

Meanwhile, Udinese's main man is enduring a much leaner run: since the end of March, Keinan Davis has gone 13 league games without finding the net.

Attacking midfielder Jurgen Ekkelenkamp is the Friulani's top Serie A scorer with three goals, and he should certainly feature in Zanetti's first XI.

Although Oumar Solet has overcome a calf problem, the visitors will be without Alessandro Zanoli, David Alaba and Idrissa Gueye; the matchwinner when these teams recently clashed in the cup, Vakoun Bayo remains a doubt.

Venezia possible starting lineup:

Stankovic; Halhal, Moreno, Jesus; Hainaut, Perez, Busio, Sohm, Mazzocchi; Yeboah, Adams

Udinese possible starting lineup:

Okoye; Abankwah, Solet, Palma; Vojvoda, Karlstrom, Piotrowski, Kamara; Zaniolo, Ekkelenkamp; Davis

We say: Venezia 1-2 Udinese

With the worst goal difference and fewest points in Serie A, this pair have been in desperate form for most of the season.

Perhaps a 'new manager bounce' can help Udinese finally stir from their malaise, as Zanetti makes a triumphant return to the Penzo.

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