Inter Milan will host Venezia at San Siro in the Coppa Italia round of 16 on Wednesday.
The Nerazzurri aim to secure their place in the quarter-finals against the Serie B outfit, who have defied expectations to reach the last 16 despite playing outside Italy’s top flight.
Inter Milan vs Venezia – Match preview and team news
- Date: Wednesday, 3rd December.
- Kick-off: 8pm BST.
- Venue: San Siro, Milan.
Inter Milan team news
Inter manager Cristian Chivu is set to rotate heavily for the Coppa Italia encounter, with the congested fixture schedule demanding careful management of player workloads across Serie A, the Champions League, and the upcoming Supercoppa Italiana.
Josep Martinez is expected to return to the starting lineup in goal for the first time since September. Andy Diouf could also make his maiden start for Inter. The summer signing impressed when replacing Luis Henrique as a makeshift wingback during the recent 2-0 victory over Pisa.
Denzel Dumfries remains sidelined with an ankle injury sustained before the international break and is not expected to return until late December. The 29-year-old defender expressed optimism about his recovery timeline, stating: “I hope to recover in two to three weeks. I’m putting in a lot of effort and want to return as quickly as possible.”
Ange-Yoan Bonny is at risk of missing the fixture due to illness. Even if declared fit, the 22-year-old would likely remain on the bench. Marcus Thuram is expected to feature in the attack, after recovering from a thigh injury. Matteo Darmian and Raffaele Di Gennaro also remain sidelined, limiting defensive options for the cup encounter.
Venezia team news
Venezia head coach Giovanni Stroppa is also expected to rotate his squad. Stroppa is attempting to balance the demands of a promotion race in Serie B with the prestige of competing at San Siro.
Filip Stankovic, a former Inter Primavera product, may start in goal for Venezia, adding an intriguing narrative layer to the encounter. Andrea Adorante could be rested from the start despite scoring twice in Saturday’s 3-0 home win over Mantova, with Stroppa prioritising freshness for the promotion push.
John Yeboah and Issa Doumbia are expected to provide attacking dynamism, having been decisive in earlier cup rounds with multiple goals. Cheikh Konde is a doubt due to an ankle fracture, with his participation to be determined closer to kickoff.
Form
Inter Milan
After a testing period that saw consecutive defeats to AC Milan (0-1) and Atletico Madrid (1-2), Cristian Chivu’s side bounced back emphatically with a 2-0 away victory over Pisa on Sunday.
Lautaro Martínez scored a brace after the interval, with the Argentine striker now leading the charge for the Scudetto.
The Inter captain has been in brilliant form this season with six goals and two assists in 13 Serie A matches.
Venezia
The feel-good story of this season’s Coppa Italia continues for Venezia, who remain unbeaten in recent matches with three consecutive victories.
After their commanding 4-0 opening-round win over Mantova in the Coppa Italia, Venezia defeated Hellas Verona 5-4 on penalties after a goalless draw, showcasing resilience and character. In Serie B, Venezia currently sits fifth in the standings with 25 points from 14 matches, recording 7 wins, 4 draws, and 3 losses.
Predicted lineups
Inter Milan: Martinez; Bisseck, De Vrij, Augusto; Henrique, Diouf, Zielinski, Frattesi, Cocchi; Thuram, Esposito.
Venezia: Stankovic; Schingtienne, Korac, Sverko; Hainaut, Doumbia, Duncan, Busio, Haps; Yeboah, Fila.
How to watch Inter Milan vs Venezia?
Premier Sports provides the coverage for this match for UK viewers.
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