Inter faced Venezia in a Serie A match with Piotr Zielinski leading the midfield alongside Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez. The game took place at San Siro at 19.45 GMT. Inter had the chance to close in on league leaders Napoli after Napoli’s 3-0 defeat by Atalanta earlier in the day. A win for Inter would bring them within a point of the top spot.
Hakan Calhanoglu and Francesco Acerbi returned from injury but started on the bench, aiming to play against Arsenal in the Champions League. Zielinski played as the playmaker, with Carlos Augusto and Kristjan Asllani not fully fit. Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez led the attack for Inter.
Venezia, despite a difficult start to the season, showed signs of improvement recently under coach Eusebio Di Francesco. They drew 2-2 against Monza and staged a remarkable comeback to beat Udinese 3-2. Bjarki Bjarkason was absent, and Marin Sverko was not at full fitness. Filip Stankovic, on loan from Inter, and Gaetano Oristanio, a product of Inter’s youth academy, were notable faces in the Venezia squad. Gianluca Busio dropped back to support Joel Pohjanpalo in midfield.
Inter lined up with Sommer in goal, Pavard, De Vrij, and Bastoni in defense, Dumfries, Barella, Zielinski, Mkhitaryan, and Dimarco in midfield, and Thuram and Lautaro Martinez up front. Venezia’s lineup included Stankovic in goal, Idzes, Svoboda, and Haps in defense, Zampano, Nicolussi Caviglia, and Ellertsson in midfield, and Oristanio, Busio, and Pohjanpalo in attack.