Inter Milan will be eyeing a spot in the quarter-finals when they take on Venezia FC in the Coppa Italia on Wednesday.
Inter Milan step into the Coppa Italia at the :ast 16 stage on Wednesday night, hosting the competition’s lone Serie B survivor, Venezia FC, at San Siro, a venue where the visitors have historically suffered more than almost any other. For Cristian Chivu’s side, the tie represents not only a chance to advance but also an opportunity to reassert stability after a turbulent spell.
Inter arrive at this fixture having finally snapped a damaging two-game losing streak. Successive defeats in the Derby della Madonnina and a dramatic Champions League setback against Atletico Madrid had threatened to erode their excellent early-season foundations. Chivu’s men looked emotionally and physically drained heading into the weekend, but as so often in recent seasons, Lautaro Martinez dragged them back to life.
The captain’s late double away to Pisa secured a badly needed 2-0 victory, keeping Inter firmly wedged inside a congested top-four battle in Serie A. With the title race shaping into one of the most tightly contested in recent years, Chivu will be grateful for any respite from league pressure, though Inter’s upcoming clash with a resurgent Como side means rotation must be calculated rather than reckless.
Historically, the Coppa Italia has offered comfort to the Nerazzurri. This round marks the club’s 400th match in the competition, a journey that includes nine titles, the most recent arriving in 2023. Their record against Venezia at San Siro borders on absolute dominance: 13 wins from 16 home meetings, with the only defeat occurring more than 80 years ago in April 1943.
Venezia, however, travel north with purpose. Giovanni Stroppa’s men are the feel-good story of this season’s Coppa Italia, outlasting every other Serie B contender. A commanding 4-0 win over Mantova in the opening round was followed by a gritty, penalty-shootout triumph over Hellas Verona at the Bentegodi, a result that has restored a sense of belief around the Venetian club.
Their league form mirrors this upward trajectory. Six victories in their last ten Serie B games have carried the Lagunari into the playoff positions, placing them within striking distance of automatic promotion. While the overarching mission remains a swift return to Serie A, an upset at San Siro would be a statement that Venezia are further along in their reconstruction than many expected.
For Inter, this is about professionalism and standards. For Venezia, it is an opportunity to write a rare and memorable chapter. And for the Coppa Italia, it is precisely the sort of matchup that keeps the competition alive: giants guarding their territory against underdogs with nothing to lose. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how the clubs could line up on the night and what tactics they might employ.
Team News & Tactics
Inter Milan
With December demanding high-intensity football on multiple fronts, Serie A, the Champions League, and the upcoming Supercoppa Italiana, Inter Milan are expected to rotate heavily for their Coppa Italia opener. Cristian Chivu has already hinted at managing workloads, and this fixture presents a rare opportunity for squad players to stake a claim.
Two of Inter’s summer additions, Luiz Henrique and Andy Diouf, have featured only sparingly since arriving, largely due to the consistency of Chivu’s first-choice midfielders and wing-backs. Both are now in line for meaningful minutes, particularly with several senior players set to be rested ahead of the weekend’s league showdown. Their inclusion should give the Nerazzurri a dynamic but experimental look in midfield and out wide.
Inter remain without their two senior right-sided wing-backs: Denzel Dumfries continues to recover from the ankle injury that has kept him sidelined for several weeks, while Matteo Darmian is also unavailable as he nurses a muscular issue. These absences influence Inter’s balance on the flanks, making Henrique’s deployment on the right all the more likely. Up front, Ange-Yoan Bonny is a doubt due to illness, and his availability will be assessed late; should he miss out, Inter’s attacking selections become more straightforward.
Inter Milan are expected to line up in their familiar 3-5-2 structure against Venezia FC. Josep Martinez should start in goal as the cup goalkeeper, protected by a back three of Yann Bisseck on the right of defence, Stefan de Vrij anchoring the central role, and Carlos Augusto operating on the left side of the trio. In the wing-back positions,
Luiz Henrique will likely be deployed wide on the right, while academy product Matteo Cocchi may be trusted to handle the left flank. The midfield should be constructed around technical control and rotation. Andy Diouf provides athleticism and forward thrust, Piotr Zielinski brings composure and passing range, and Davide Frattesi offers verticality and late runs into the box. Together, they form a midfield designed to dictate tempo while preserving key starters for the league campaign.
In attack, Marcus Thuram is expected to partner young Italian striker Francesco Pio Esposito, giving Inter a blend of experience, physicality, and youthful energy. Thuram’s ability to drop deep and link play should complement Esposito’s movement across the defensive line.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Martinez; Bisseck, De Vrij, Augusto; Henrique, Diouf, Zielinski, Frattesi, Cocchi; Thuram, Esposito
Venezia FC
As they balance a demanding Serie B promotion race with the prestige of a Coppa Italia Last 16 tie, Venezia are also expected to rotate their squad at San Siro. Despite scoring twice in Saturday’s league victory over Mantova, leading marksman Andrea Adorante may not be risked from the start. Giovanni Stroppa remains focused on keeping his squad fresh for the promotion push, meaning several fringe attackers could be handed an opportunity on the big stage.
Venezia boast additional firepower in Issa Doumbia and John Yeboah, both of whom were decisive in earlier cup rounds by netting braces. Their dynamism and direct running make them strong candidates to return to the starting XI, especially with Stroppa likely opting for pace in transition. Another notable inclusion could come in goal, where Filip Stankovic, a former Inter Primavera product, may face his old club, adding an intriguing narrative layer to the night.
The visitors do carry a couple of absences. Bartol Franjic remains unavailable, with the midfielder continuing his recovery from a muscular problem, while Juventus loanee Alessandro Pietrelli is also ruled out and will not travel with the squad. These injuries restrict Venezia’s rotational options somewhat, particularly in central areas, against Inter Milan.
Venezia should maintain their familiar 3-5-2 setup, with Filip Stankovic starting in goal. In the back three, Joel Schingtienne is expected to operate on the right side of defence, Seid Korac will marshal the centre, and Marin Sverko should fill the left-sided role, providing aerial strength and coverage out wide.
Across midfield, Antoine Hainaut will likely function as the right wing-back, supplying width and energy, while Ridgeciano Haps mirrors that responsibility on the left. The central trio should include Issa Doumbia, whose physicality helps Venezia maintain compactness, Alfred Duncan, who offers ball-carrying ability through midfield, and captain Gianluca Busio, who gives structure and passing range as the metronome of Stroppa’s system.
Up front, Venezia’s attack is expected to feature John Yeboah, whose agility and dribbling can threaten Inter Milan’s high defensive line, alongside Daniel Fila, who provides movement between the centre-backs and an outlet for quick counters.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Stankovic; Schingtienne, Korac, Sverko; Hainaut, Doumbia, Duncan, Busio, Haps; Yeboah, Fila
Key Stats
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Inter Milan have dominated this fixture historically, winning 13 of their 16 home meetings against Venezia. The visitors’ only victory at San Siro dates back to April 1943, more than 80 years ago.
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Inter Milan enter their 400th Coppa Italia match, becoming only the second Italian club to reach this milestone. They have lifted the trophy nine times, most recently in 2023, and have reached at least the semi-finals in three of the last four editions.
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Venezia are the last remaining Serie B team in the 2024–25 Coppa Italia, having knocked out Mantova and Hellas Verona. They have lost nine of their last ten Coppa Italia ties against Serie A opposition.
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Inter Milan have scored in 22 consecutive home matches across all competitions, their longest scoring run at San Siro since 2011. Venezia, meanwhile, have kept just one clean sheet in their last seven away fixtures.
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Lautaro Martinez has scored six goals in his last five domestic cup appearances for Inter, averaging a goal every 57 minutes in the Coppa Italia. Venezia’s top scorer Andrea Adorante, by contrast, has yet to score away from home in the competition this season.
Player to Watch
Marcus Thuram
With Inter Milan expected to rotate several first-team regulars, Marcus Thuram becomes the natural focal point of their attacking scheme for this Coppa Italia tie. The French forward has grown into a vital figure under Cristian Chivu, offering a blend of power, movement, and technical finesse that makes him extremely difficult for opposition defences to contain.
Thuram’s ability to drift wide, receive between the lines, and drive directly at centre-backs gives Inter an unpredictable attacking edge, something Venezia will struggle to cope with even in their well-drilled 3-5-2 shape. His link-up play with younger forwards such as Francesco Pio Esposito has also developed well, allowing him to function as both a creator and a finisher.
In matches where Inter rotate heavily, Thuram often acts as the stabilising presence in the frontline, using his experience and physical profile to maintain attacking structure. His knack for decisive contributions in cup competitions, combined with Venezia’s vulnerability against high-quality forwards, makes him the most likely catalyst for Inter’s breakthrough moments on Wednesday night.
If Thuram finds space early, Venezia’s defensive line could be under constant stress, even without Inter fielding their full-strength XI.
Prediction
Inter Milan 3-0 Venezia FC
Inter Milan enter this tie with superior quality, depth, and momentum restored after their crucial league win at Pisa. Even with significant rotation, Cristian Chivu’s squad retains a level of technical and physical advantage that Venezia, focused primarily on their Serie B promotion push, is unlikely to match over 90 minutes.
Venezia’s spirited performances in the earlier rounds should not be dismissed, but the step up in opposition is dramatic. Their defensive structure tends to struggle against sides that press high and attack with vertical speed, two hallmarks of Inter even when the starting XI features several fringe players. The Lagunari may enjoy moments in transition, particularly through John Yeboah’s pace, but sustaining pressure inside San Siro is an entirely different challenge.
Inter’s rotated midfield still appears strong on paper, and with Marcus Thuram offering a proven cutting edge in the final third, the Nerazzurri should have enough to control proceedings and break down Venezia’s resistance. Cup magic is always possible, but the gap in squad strength and recent form makes an upset highly unlikely.