Venezia return to Serie A on 23 August 2026 after winning the Serie B title with 82 points, opening the top flight campaign at home against Lecce, who survived on the final day last season. Both clubs arrive as relegation favourites and whichever side takes three points here will have done themselves a considerable favour in what promises to be another brutal fight at the bottom.
The managerial subplot is odd: Giovanni Stroppa took charge at Venezia on 1 July 2025, replacing Eusebio Di Francesco, who then moved to Lecce on 26 June 2025 on a contract running until 2028. The man Stroppa replaced now sits in the opposite dugout and their shared history at this level is shallow enough that neither coach holds a meaningful edge.
Venezia arrive having beaten Modena 3-2 in the Coppa Italia around 15 August, while Lecce lost 0-2 to Palermo three days later, a result that left them without a goal or a great deal to show from their cup tie.
Venezia are without Marin Sverko (hip, expected back around October) and Gaetano Oristanio is a doubt with a knee problem. Sverko's absence from the left of the back three will likely require a tactical shuffle, potentially leaving the wing back on that side exposed if Lecce target switches quickly. Lecce have their own problems: Lameck Banda is out through contract and transfer issues, while Youssef Maleh and Medon Berisha are doubts with fitness and hamstring concerns. Without Banda, Lecce lose their most direct option and lean more heavily on Willem Geubbels, who will need to run the channels if there is to be any counter threat at all.
Venezia should line up in a 3-5-2, with the wing backs overlapping into the final third and John Yeboah pulling wide to drag defenders out of position and open lanes for Adams centrally. Yeboah runs the channels and gets in behind the last line, which is where Venezia are most dangerous and Gianluca Busio, captaining the side, presses high and recycles quickly to let the wing backs advance without leaving the centre exposed. Akor Adams poses a different kind of problem for the Lecce back line: he turns defenders and wins flick-ons, so when Yeboah's runs pull the centre backs wide, Adams suddenly has room.
Lecce will likely set up in a 4-2-3-1, looking to counter through Geubbels running centrally. Wladimiro Falcone commands his area well and is good with his feet. Antonino Gallo steps out to press and wins his share of aerial duels but without Banda the direct counter option is blunted: if Geubbels has to drop deeper to collect the ball, there is nobody in the box when possession turns over, which means Adams gets an easier night at the back post too. The central battle will be Busio against Lecce's midfield trio and Venezia controlling that area is how the visiting counter threat diminishes, with Yeboah's movement against the Lecce centre backs the other contest worth watching.
Venezia have never beaten Lecce in Serie A, going winless across all six top flight meetings, which is a concern on a day when they need a statement result.
Venezia 2-1 Lecce. Lecce's absentees are the deciding factor: without Banda and potentially without Maleh and Berisha too, they have no reliable way out. Yeboah's movement and Adams's ability to turn defenders will give Lecce's back line a night their abbreviated pre season has not specifically prepared them for and while Sverko and Oristanio are both concerns for the hosts, Venezia's problems feel more manageable than Lecce's. The visitors will drop into two banks of four and Geubbels will manufacture a chance or two on the break but the structural advantage sits firmly with Venezia.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
