Venice in a Slump, Giovanni Stroppa at Risk of Being Fired: Rumors Already Circulating About His Replacement

Six losses in their first six Serie A games. Venezia still has zero points, and the standings are brutal. Even in Bergamo against Atalanta, Giovanni Stroppa’s team didn’t put in a bad performance: after being overwhelmed early on, they fought back, and after Hainaut scored to make it 1-3 in the second half, they came close to getting back into the game, hitting the crossbar twice.

But the situation is now critical, and the Venetian club’s management has set its sights on Giovanni Stroppa, who failed to turn things around during the long international break. According to Sky, the former Monza and Cremonese coach is at serious risk, and rumors are already circulating about a possible replacement.

Paolo Zanetti is reportedly the favorite to take over the Venice bench should Stroppa be fired. The Vicenza-born coach knows the club well, having led Venezia for two years from 2020 to 2022 and securing a promotion. Another name in the mix is Davide Nicola, who is also currently without a team.

The team’s standing is dismal, and management is weighing its options: before the break, they had given Stroppa a pass, hoping for a turnaround when the league resumed—the team is behind him. But now they can’t wait any longer, and the coach who led the team to promotion is truly at risk of losing his job.

After the match, the coach vented his frustration: “In my view, the team is strong and competitive, but there are needless mistakes I just can’t wrap my head around. The fans came out yesterday to support us; having such a big turnout on a weekday is extraordinary. At the end of the game, we were met with boos, as is only right: we can’t just react after getting slapped in the face.”