Venezia and Lecce looking for points straight away
The Serie A returns to the Penzo just over a year after its last visit. Newly promoted Venezia are looking to make the most of their return to the top flight, having won only one of their 14 Serie A season openers. This came in a 1-0 victory over Inter in the 1940/41 season and they will be hoping to repeat that feat 86 years later. Lecce, however, have other ideas and are determined to bounce back after their Coppa Italia Frecciarossa defeat to Palermo.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
There have been 18 official meetings between the two sides in Venice: 7 Venezia wins (the latest a 2-1 victory in the Serie B 2020/21 playoffs), 8 draws (the latest a 1-1 draw in Serie B 2018/19) and 3 Lecce wins (the latest a 0-1 victory in Serie A 2024/25).
DID YOU KNOW?
Venezia are on a run of 8 consecutive home wins: across the final part of last season in Serie B and last week's Coppa Italia, Venezia have won every game at the Penzo. The last team to leave the Penzo with points was Modena, who won 2-0 on 10 February in Serie B.
Venezia have reached the Coppa Italia Round of 32: in their first official match of the season, they eliminated Modena 3-2 at the Penzo, with Adams scoring twice and Yeboah also finding the net for the hosts, while Ambrosino scored a brace for the Canarini.
Venezia have not won their Serie A opener in 86 years: their last victory came on 6 October 1940, a 1-0 home win over Inter. Since then, they have recorded 3 draws and 9 defeats in their following 12 openers.
Venezia are celebrating their third promotion from Serie B to Serie A in the last 5 years: after promotions in 2020/21 and 2023/24, the Lagunari returned to the top flight in 2025/26. Venezia have not played two consecutive Serie A seasons since 1998/99-1999/00, when Giuseppe Marotta was the club's general manager.
Lecce were eliminated in the Coppa Italia Round of 32: in their first official match of the season, they lost 2-0 to Palermo at the Barbera, with goals from Vavassori and Pohjanpalo. Alongside Lazio, Lecce are one of only two Serie A sides already out of the competition.
Lecce have failed to win their Serie A opener in 6 of their 7 appearances: their only victory came on 20 August 2023, a 2-1 home win over Lazio.
Lecce are entering their fifth consecutive Serie A season: promoted from Serie B in summer 2022, the Salentini are enjoying the longest top-flight run in their recent history. Banda's goal in May's win over Genoa was Lecce's 700th in Serie A.
COACHES and PLAYERS
Giovanni Stroppa and Eusebio Di Francesco will meet for the third time in an official match: the current Lecce coach won both previous meetings (Crotone-Sampdoria 1-3 in the 2019/20 Coppa Italia and Cagliari-Crotone 4-2 in Serie A 2020/21).
Giovanni Stroppa returns to Serie A after 3 years: the Venezia coach makes his comeback against Lecce, the team he faced in his last Serie A match as a coach (Monza-Lecce 1-1, 17 September 2023).
Eusebio Di Francesco is the former player/coach in focus: he managed Venezia in 2024/25, the Lagunari's last Serie A season before their latest promotion. His record was 5 wins, 14 draws and 20 defeats in 39 official matches.
Only Victor Nelsson won more aerial duels than Tiago Gabriel in Serie A 2025/26: 154 for the Danish defender compared to 152 for the Lecce centre-back.
Wladimiro Falcone was among the 8 players to feature in every Serie A match in 2025/26: 38 appearances out of 38, alongside Svilar, Colombo, Butez, Douvikas, Laurientè, Caprile and Adopo.
DISCIPLINE
Suspended: none
Cautioned: none
REFEREE
RAPUANO (TRINCHIERI – CECCON) IV: ALLEGRETTA VAR: GHERSINI AVAR: ABISSO
UPCOMING MATCHES
Milan-Venezia (28/8, 20.45)
Lecce-Roma (31/8, 18.30)
(Venezia Instagram Profile Photo)