Inter Milan Face Venezia with Patchwork Squad
Serie A leaders Inter Milan travel to Venice with their lineup stretched thin by a string of injuries. With pressure mounting in the league, Simone Inzaghi’s side must improvise as several first-team regulars are sidelined. Marcus Thuram, who has banged in 12 goals this campaign, remains sidelined and his absence headlines a lengthy injury list. Fellow attackers Joaquin Correa is also unavailable, leaving Lautaro Martinez likely to shoulder the scoring duties up front, possibly alongside new signing Mehdi Taremi.
Midfield dynamo Hakan Calhanoglu faces a late fitness test, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan will watch from the stands with a thigh issue. In defense, experienced center-back Francesco Acerbi looks unlikely to make the squad, while Yann Bisseck—showing great promise this season—won’t feature either. The silver lining? Benjamin Pavard might return to the heart of defense, where his experience and ball-playing ability are sorely needed as Inter reshuffle their backline. Yann Sommer, ever-reliable between the sticks, will be the last line of defense.
Venezia's Struggles and Stankovic's Unique Challenge
On the other side of the pitch, Venezia are no strangers to adversity. Their own casualty list features key figures: Michael Svoboda and Ridgeciano Haps are out, with Alfred Duncan and Domen Crnigoj also missing. The biggest talking point? On-loan keeper Filip Stankovic will face his parent club. If you’re imagining the nerves, you’re not alone. Stankovic’s performance could well decide how long the hosts stay competitive in this fixture.
In defense, Jay Idzes, Domenico Altare, and Marin Sverko are likely to line up ahead of Stankovic, with the attacking hopes pinned on Joel Pohjanpalo and Christian Yeboah. Venezia also sweat over the fitness of Gaetano Oristanio, another player with an Inter connection, whose creativity could make a difference if fit enough to play.
Despite the chaos caused by injuries for both sides, the general mood is that Inter's deep squad should carry enough firepower to get the job done—even without several mainstays. Their options in reserve, particularly with someone like Martinez up top, still look formidable for a Venezia team facing a step up in class.
Bookmakers and pundits are not shy about backing Inter here. The gap in squad quality—especially up front—points toward a comfortable away win, with most predicting something like a 3-0 result for the Nerazzurri. For Inter, the biggest question isn’t just about three points, but how they manage resources and keep momentum while core players nurse injuries. For Venezia, an upset would require a near-perfect performance, hinging on their depleted lineup punching well above their weight.
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