Inter Milan will aim to return to winning ways when they take on Venezia at the Pier Luigi Penzo Stadium on Sunday.
Gameweek 20 of the 2024/25 Serie A season will continue on Sunday, which will feature four games. The action on the day will start with the match between Genoa and Parma before continuing with Venezia vs Inter Milan at the Piero Luigi Penzo Stadium.
Venezia could not have asked for a more challenging campaign after returning to Serie A after two years. However, the Winged Lions have been in the relegation battle since the 2024/25 season began. Eusebio Di Francesco’s men have managed only three wins in 19 outings thus far and sit in the 19th spot in the standings, three points from safety.
As for Inter Milan, the reigning champions have barely put a foot wrong, although those missteps have been at uncomfortable junctures. The latest setback came in the Supercoppa Italiana final as they squandered a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 to local rival AC Milan. Meanwhile, Simone Inzaghi’s men are third in the Serie A standings, four points behind Napoli with two games in hand.
The reverse fixture saw Inter Milan eke a narrow 1-0 win over Venezia, with Lautaro Martinez scoring the only goal. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Venezia
Eusebio Di Francesco has a new injury concern hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Venezia manager might be bereft of the services of as many as five first-team players vs Inter Milan on Sunday.
Gaetano Oristanio might be the latest absentee after picking up a knock against Empoli last week. The former Inter Milan attacker will require a late fitness test to determine his availability. However, Michael Svoboda, Alfred Duncan, Issa Doumbia and Domen Crnigoj remain on the sidelines.
Filip Stankovic will take his spot between the sticks, with Venezia lining up in a 3-5-2 formation in front of him vs Inter Milan on Sunday. The central defensive unit should feature Jay Idzes, Marin Sverko, and Giorgio Altare. Francesco Zampano and Andrea Carboni will likely start as the two wing-backs.
The duo will provide width in the final third while dropping deep during the defensive phases. As for the midfield unit, Gianluca Busio, Hans Nicolussi Caviglia, and Mikael Egill Ellertsson will look to keep things tight in the middle of the park. Finally, John Yeboah will likely pair up with Joel Pohjanpalo in the offensive unit if Oristanio is not fit enough to start.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Stankovic; Idzes, Sverko, Altare; Zampano, Busio, Nicolussi Caviglia, Ellertsson, Carboni; Yeboah, Pohjanpalo
Inter Milan
Like his counterpart in the Venezia dugout, Simone Inzaghi has a new issue to worry about ahead of the trip to the Piero Luigi Penzo Stadium. The Inter Milan manager will be without four first-team players on Sunday.
Yann Bisseck is the latest absentee after picking up a muscle injury in the Supercoppa Italiana final. The German defender has joined Raffaele Di Gennaro (hand), Francesco Acerbi (hamstring), Valentin Carboni (knee), and Martin Satriano (ACL) on the sidelines. However, there is some good news, with Marcus Thuram and Benjamin Pavard fit and available.
Yann Sommer will be the automatic pick between the sticks, with Inter Milan lining up in a 3-5-2 formation in front of him vs Venezia on Sunday. The central defensive unit will feature Benjamin Pavard, Stefan de Vrij, and Alessandro Bastoni. Denzel Dumfries and Federico Dimarco will be the two wing-backs.
The duo will provide width in the final third, taking the creative charge from the flanks. As for the midfield unit, Nicolo Barella, Kristjan Asllani, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan will form a fluid partnership in the middle of the park. Finally, there is no looking past Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram as the two strikers.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Sommer; Pavard, de Vrij, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Asllani, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Martinez, Thuram
Key Stats
- Inter Milan have won six of their last nine games vs Venezia, losing twice (D1).
- Inter Milan have scored 51 goals in 27 Serie A games against Venezia. Only against Juventus (54) have the Winged Lions conceded more strikes in the Italian top flight.
- Inter Milan are on a five-game winning streak in Serie A. The reigning champions are on a 12-match unbeaten run since a 2-1 loss to AC Milan in the derby in September.
- Venezia have failed to win four of their most recent five home games, losing twice since November.
- Inter Milan have kept a clean sheet in six of their last eight matches in Serie A. In addition, they have scored at least two goals in their five most recent top-flight outings.
Player to Watch
Marcus Thuram
Lautaro Martinez was a viable candidate for this section, but we have picked Marcus Thuram as our Player to Watch for Sunday’s Serie A game. The Frenchman missed out against AC Milan in the Supercoppa Italiana, and Simone Inzaghi will be glad to have him back available.
The 27-year-old attacker has been exceptional in his second season with the Nerazzurri, and he has outscored Martinez thus far this term. While goalscoring was not an issue for Inter Milan against AC Milan, a deadlier presence in the final third should benefit the away side.
Prediction
Venezia 0-2 Inter Milan
Simone Inzaghi and Inter Milan will be hurting after conceding the Supercoppa Italiana title to local rival AC Milan. So, one should expect a response from the visitors, and the hapless Venezia will bear their wrath this weekend.
Eusebio Di Francesco’s men will take the game to the reigning Serie A champions. However, they will not have enough quality to trouble the Nerazzurri. Ultimately, Marcus Thuram will make his mark again, guiding Inter Milan to a 2-0 win over Venezia.
