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Marc-Oliver Kempf's sending-off just after the hour mark at the Olimpico left Como with a mountain to climb in the capital, and the promoted side conceded in the 76th minute, with Artem Dovbyk scoring for the Giallorossi to secure a 2-1 win.

That defeat ended Como's two-match winning run in Serie A — they had been aiming for three straight league wins for the first time since gaining promotion — and the Lariani seek maximum points on their return to Lombardy.

The 13th-placed side were victors in their recent fixture in front of their supporters — a stunning 2-1 success over title contenders Napoli — and three points this weekend will be the Biancoblu's third league win in four matches, as they aim to notch back-to-back wins on their turf for the second time this season, following 2-0 triumphs over Roma and Lecce in December.

With Como's last three defeats at Giuseppe Sinigaglia coming against AC Milan (2-1), Atalanta (2-1) and Juventus (2-1), sides Fabregas's team are not expected to beat on paper, supporters will back their team to get the better of this weekend's visitors, against whom they have an aggregate score of 8-1 across the past four home matches in Serie A, Serie B and Serie C.

With the Lariani six points clear of danger, another positive result against out-of-form opponents could see the 13th-placed side create more separation from the dreaded relegation positions.

That outcome is expected, given the Winged Lions' wretched top-flight record, epitomised by Eusebio Di Francesco's men failing to secure three points since beating Cagliari 2-1 in December.

Despite that success at the backend of 2024, Venezia own the league's worst record since the start of November — one win, seven draws, nine losses in 17 matches — leaving the Arancioneroverdi second-bottom on 18 points after 27 fixtures.

The 19th-placed side are four points behind third-bottom Empoli and five adrift of safety, which is mathematically doable with 11 games to play.

However, Di Francesco's men must improve their away results to enhance their chances of beating the drop, with the Winged Lions the only top-flight club yet to clinch three points on their travels in 2024-25.

Having drawn five and lost nine of 14 matches on the road, the club with the third-fewest points since the turn of the year (five points) hope to record an unexpected triumph.

That winless start to 2025 certainly undermines Venezia's chances of avoiding immediate relegation to Serie B, as they enter this round as one of two clubs (alongside Empoli) without a victory since New Year's Day.

Como possible starting lineup:

Butez; Smolcic, Goldaniga, Engelhardt, Valle; Caqueret, Perrone, Cunha; Strefezza, Paz, Diao

Venezia possible starting lineup:

Radu; Schingtienne, Izdes, Cande; Zerbin, Busio, Caviglia, Perez, Ellertsson; Oristanio, Maric