Venezia vs. Inter: Serie A Clash Highlights Midfield Challenges

VENICE, Italy — The Serie A clash between Venezia and Inter Milan kicked off at 3:00 PM local time on Sunday at the Stadio Pierluigi Penzo, marking the 20th round of Italy’s top football league. The match, broadcast exclusively by DAZN, saw Inter manager Simone Inzaghi hand the midfield reins to Kristjan Asllani in the absence of the injured Hakan Calhanoglu.

Asllani, a 21-year-old Albanian midfielder, has had limited starting opportunities this season, with only three starts in Serie A and Coppa Italia combined. His performances have been mixed, ranging from a poor showing against Monza to an assist against Verona and a goal against Udinese. With Calhanoglu sidelined due to a muscle injury sustained during the Supercoppa final, Inzaghi has been forced to experiment with his midfield setup.

Inzaghi has previously tried Nicolò Barella and Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the regista role, with varying degrees of success. Barella, known for his box-to-box energy, has shown glimpses of his ability to orchestrate play, while Mkhitaryan has also been tested in the position. Piotr Zielinski, another option, has demonstrated his versatility by scoring a brace from the penalty spot against Juventus earlier this season.

Asllani’s performance against Venezia will be closely watched as Inter seeks to maintain its position in the Serie A title race. The young midfielder has played 16 games this season, with only three starts in the league. His ability to step up in Calhanoglu’s absence could be crucial for Inter’s ambitions.

Fans can watch the match on DAZN through compatible smart TVs, gaming consoles like PlayStation and Xbox, or streaming devices such as Amazon Firestick and Google Chromecast. The absence of key players like Federico Dimarco and Marcus Thuram adds another layer of intrigue to this mid-season encounter.