Italy’s top-flight clubs continued their pre-season preparations with a series of friendly fixtures on Sunday, as Venezia, Genoa and Lecce all recorded victories against lower-league opposition.
Venezia hit four in dominant display
Newly promoted Venezia produced the most convincing performance of the day, defeating local side Dolomiti Bellunesi 4-2. The Lagunari, who secured their return to Serie A last season, showcased their attacking threat through a varied scoreline.
Matteo Dagasso opened the scoring with a free kick, before Bartol Franjic added a header. Captain Gianluca Busio struck from distance to extend the lead, and new signing Albion Rrahmani completed the rout. The match provided valuable minutes for the squad as they adjust to the demands of top-flight football.
Genoa fight back to beat Trento
Daniele De Rossi’s Genoa had to come from behind to secure a 2-1 victory against Trento. The Grifoni fell behind when Molina converted a rebound after a corner from Mehic struck the woodwork.
However, Genoa responded before the interval. Lorenzo Colombo levelled the scores from the penalty spot, giving the side a platform to push for victory. David Puczka grabbed the winner to complete the turnaround and ensure De Rossi’s side maintained their winning start to the summer schedule.
Lecce edge past Hungarian opposition
Lecce travelled to Szombathely for the most demanding fixture of the trio, facing Hungarian side FC Haladas. The Salentini emerged with a hard-fought 1-0 win thanks to a solitary strike from 19-year-old Hjalte Laerke.
The Danish youngster’s goal proved sufficient to separate the sides in a match that tested Lecce’s fitness levels early in their pre-season programme. The narrow victory suggests manager Marco Giampaolo will be focusing on defensive solidity alongside attacking fluency in the weeks ahead.
Pre-season priorities
These fixtures represent the opening phase of summer preparations for the three clubs, who will be looking to build match fitness and tactical cohesion ahead of the new Serie A campaign. With the season opener approaching, managers will use these results to assess their squads while integrating new signings and academy prospects.