Venezia and Napoli meet on Saturday at 15:00 to open the seventh round of Serie A fixtures, according to Il Messaggero. Neither club can afford another setback, the outlet reports.
Venezia sit on zero points and have responded by replacing their coach, handing the bench to Davide Nicola, Il Messaggero reports. Napoli, coached by Massimiliano Allegri, arrive after a defeat in the Champions League and cannot drop further ground on the teams at the top of the table, according to the same outlet.
Il Messaggero notes that Nicola will be taking charge of his first match with the club. The paper also reports that Allegri's starting line-up includes Lorenzo Lucca, while Matteo Politano and Lang are left out.
Coverage of the fixture lists both Sky and DAZN as broadcast options in Italy, with kick-off set for 15:00.
The match carries weight at both ends of the table. For Venezia, a first point of the campaign would mark a starting point under a new coach. For Napoli, the game is a chance to steady a season that has already brought a European loss, with the leading positions still within reach if results go their way.
What to watch next: whether Nicola's arrival changes Venezia's fortunes, and whether Allegri's attacking choices deliver a response after the Champions League defeat.